Union Finley Messenger November 2010 by South Hills Mon Valley Messenger

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NOVEMBER 2010

Visit us online at www.unionfinley.com Finleyville Borough Building Renovation Underway

SPECIAL SECTION:

Vol. 7, Issue 7

PET GUIDE Page 42

Page 31

INDEX: Local News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Ask The Experts . . . . . . . . . 40 Home & Garden . . . . . . . . . 45 Automotive . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Your Health . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Kids & Family . . . . . . . . . . . 59 School News . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Senior News . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Food & Dining . . . . . . . . . . 70 Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

“ W E ’ R E T H E N E I G H B O R LY N E W S PA P E R ” Union Township • Finleyville • Gastonville • Eighty Four • Nottingham • Peters Township • Venetia • New Eagle • Monongahela • Elrama • Elizabeth • West Elizabeth • Jefferson Hills • Library • South Park

Busy as a Bee! One Year After Fire, the Bee’s Nest is Buzzing Again In Monongahela By Ken Askew

Owner of the Bee’s Nest Café, Barb Mayfield, proclaims: “Her customers are always right.” Code 912

Code 920

Carry-Out or Delivery • 7 Days a Week

434

GRANDE TRIO

$ 77

Three Grande 1-Topping Pizzas

Each

MUST ORDER THREE

TRADITIONAL OR THIN CRUST ONLY

Not valid with any other offer. One coupon per order. Please mention coupon when ordering. Delivery areas and charges may vary. EXPIRES 11/30/2010 EXPIRES 11/30/2010

Carry-Out or Delivery • 7 Days a Week EXPIRES 11/30/2010

MEDIUM MADNESS Two Medium 2-Topping Pizzas

438

1777

TRADITIONAL CRUST ONLY

Not valid with any other offer. One coupon per order. Please mention coupon when ordering. Delivery areas and charges may vary. EXPIRES 11/30/2010

Store Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11am-10pm Fri-Sun: 11am-11pm

FINLEYVILLE 3527 Washington Ave. To Place an Order Call:

724-348-8844

n early-morning fire at Vocelli’s Pizza on September 6, 2009 spread next door to the Bee’s Nest restaurant at 226 W. Main Street in downtown Monongahela. Both buildings were completely gutted, forcing them to be razed to the bare ground. Vocelli’s Pizza has not been re-established there or elsewhere in Monongahela, but amazingly the Bee’s Nest reopened just four weeks later at 255 W. Main Street, just across the street from their previous location. Such a quick turn-around can only be attributed to the energetic, never-accept-defeat attitude of the Bee's Nest owner, Barb Mayfield. Mayfield is one of those rare individuals who are truly people-oriented. “You are what you are, and if they love you, they will return,” said Mayfield. Her regular customers did follow her to the new location. Mayfield has been a waitress or cook since 1968. She only has one employee to help cover the long hours the restaurant is open. Moreover, she is willing to make deliveries if needed. Six days a week, the Bee’s Nest Cafe serves breakfast, lunch, and a light dinner (on Sunday, she closes at Noon). Breakfast attracts the most customers. Featured entrees later in the day are stuffed cabbage and ravioli. Everything on the menu is priced at under $6. All meals are cooked to order - nothing is pre-made. Fresh ingrediOn-street parking for the Bee’s Nest Café ents are provided by J.C. is available at the front curb or at a parking Foods and the New Eagle lot in the rear of the building. Bakery.

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LOCAL NEWS www.unionfinley.com

Elizabeth Borough Police Arrest Four in Marijuana Growing Operation

Pictured (l-r) Elizabeth Borough OIC John Snelson and Officer Dan Verno shown with marijuana plants and paraphernalia seized in the September marijuana bust at a residence on Second Street in Elizabeth.

Late September Storm Wreaks Havoc in South Hills A heavy storm blew through the South Hills on Wednesday, September 22, 2010. A downpour of heavy rains, lightning and powerful winds toppled trees and power lines throughout the region. The storm left thousands of area homes and businesses in the area without power for almost 2 days. In the photos shown here, heavy winds uprooted and toppled a large maple tree at a home located on Crestview Drive in Pleasant Hills. (PHOTOS BY DATA BLUEPRINTS)

By Alice Harris On the evening of September 25th at approximately 11:45 pm, Elizabeth Police Officer Dan Verno responded to a call for a possible burglary in progress on the 600 block of Second Avenue in Elizabeth. When he arrived, the door was open, and he could see someone inside rummaging through the contents. James Gantt, age 22, a guest at this address was mad at his girlfriend and was taking out his anger tearing up the house. As he was being taken into custody, the keen eye of Officer Verno spotted marijuana growing in a corner of the room. The residence was secured and a search warrant obtained from night court. In addition to Gantt, residents Daniel Gardener, age 24, Laura Griffith, age 20, and Shauna Hanson were taken into custody. Gantt was charged with manufacture, possession, intent to manufacture and deliver, intent to possess a controlled substance, criminal mischief, and escape. The others were charged with manufacture, possession, intent to deliver, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Confiscated were 13 marijuana plants of various sizes ranging from a few inches to several feet tall, dried and frozen marijuana leaves, marijuana seeds, handwritten instructions on how to grow marijuana, some two dozen fancy hand blown glass pipes and bongs, three electronic scales, a grinder, potting soil, fertilizer, growing lights, fans, and timers. Mayor David Householder complimented Officer Dan Verno and Officer-in-Charge John Snelson for jobs well done. . “I am very proud of the Elizabeth Borough Police Department.” he said. This was one of the largest marijuana busts ever in the Borough’s history, and especially in the growing of live plants.

All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti Dinner in South Park Grace Lutheran Church of South Park Twp. will hold their 31st Annual All-You-CanEat Spaghetti Dinner on Sunday, November 14 from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Broughton Fire Hall, 1030 Cochrans Mill Rd., South Park Twp. Dinner includes a salad bar, dessert & beverage. A mini-bazaar and bake sale is also included at the event. Tickets are $8.00 for adults, $4.00 for children 5-12, 4 and under are free. Tickets can be bought at the door; take-out available.

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LOCAL NEWS

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www.unionfinley.com

PLACES TO GO . . .THINGS TO SEE. . . STUFF TO DO . . . NOVEMBER 2 ELECTION DAY PASTA DINNER - St Peter’s Episcopal Church in Brentwood will hold an Election Day Pasta Dinner on Tuesday, November 2, from 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. Adults: $7.50, Seniors (55+): $7.00, Children (12 & under) $4.00. Takeout is available. St Peter’s Episcopal Church is located at 4048 Brownsville Road, overlooking Brentwood Towne Center, near Rt. 51. For more information, call the church at 412-884-5225 or visit our website at www.stpetersbrentwood.org. ELECTION DAY SPAGHETTI DINNER - Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church, 561 Mingo Church Rd., Finleyville, will hold an Election Day Spaghetti Dinner on November 2 from 12:00 Noon - 7:00 p.m. Adults: $7.00, Children: $4.00. Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, fresh Italian bread, dessert and beverage. Take out available. Call 724-348-5278.

hospital, a month of which she was in a comatose state. By the grace of God she is now home with her family and continuing to make her miraculous recovery one day at a time. She is now in need of medications, therapy, and numerous other appointments and medical costs. Dinner will include Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad, Bread and Butter, Beverage, and Dessert. Adults $7; children 10 and under $4. Take-out available.

VETERANS DAY PROGRAM - Gastonville Elementary Center (GEC) proudly presents their 10th annual Veterans Day Program on Thursday, November 4, 2010. Veterans from all branches of the Armed Service will be honored in a special program beginning at 1:30 p.m. All local veterans are encouraged to attend. Registration will start at 12:30 p.m. in the Hospitality Room. Invitations and pre-registration forms will be sent home with each student. Veterans may also register by phone. Please call (724) 348-7205 and ask for Mrs. Lamberger.

COMMUNITY BAND CONCERT - The Ringgold Middle School Band with help from the Middle School PTA will host a Tribute Concert to Veterans and First Responders on November 7 at 2 p.m. The concert will feature the Greater Monongahela Area Community Band in a performance in the auditorium at Ringgold Middle School (formerly Finley Middle School).

NOVEMBER 5-7

PARANORMAL WEEKEND - The Chapel Of Oneness at 345 Regis Ave., West Mifflin will hold a Paranormal Weekend with Reverend John Lilek starting Friday night, November 5 through Sunday night, November 7. Visit our website at www.thechapelofoneness.com or call 412-7704961 to schedule readings and workshops. The NOVEMBER 3 more workshops you take the cheaper it is. Some ANNUAL MEMORIAL SERVICE – Amedisys of the workshops include Spirit Guides, Remote Hospice (formerly Albert Gallatin Hospice), locat- Viewing, Physical Mediumship Seances and much ed at 100 Stoops Drive, Monongahela, PA will more. hold an annual memorial service remembering NOVEMBER 6 loved ones that were Amedisys Hospice patients. CHRISTMAS AFFAIR EVENT - The John The service is inter-denominational and is open to McMillan Presbyterian Church will be hosting its the public. This year’s memorial is Wednesday, annual Christmas Affair on Saturday, November 6 November 3 at 6:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Over 55 crafters and Church, Monongahela. For more information and features the JMPC Bakery, Gingerbread House, to make reservations, call 724-483-4109. Chinese auction, Kris Kringle Kafe, and an Angel Emporium Tree. Admission is free and all proNOVEMBER 5 ceeds benefit local and world-wide missions. John BENEFIT CONCERT – The Burghstock Concert McMillan Presbyterian Church, 875 Clifton Road, Series proudly presents the first Benefit Concert Bethel Park on Saturday, November 6. For more for Homeless and Disabled Washington County information, call 412-833-4704. Military Veterans on November 5 at 9:30 p.m. at the Trio Lounge featuring The Nancy McKeen FALL BAZAAR - The First United Methodist Bluz Machine. All proceeds to benefit the Church of Monongahela will be having its Fall Washington City Mission. For more information, Bazaar on November 6 from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. call Mike Fornear at 412-726-7206. We will have crafts, books, toys and white elephant items. Please come and join us for a ham dinner from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Cost is $7 adults, NOVEMBER 4 FREE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS - pro- $5 youth (5-12). vided from 8:45 to 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 5 at the Peters Township Community INDOOR FLEA MARKET - The Elizabeth Baptist Center. For more information, call 724-873-5835. Church is having an indoor flea market at 735

Bunola River Road in Elizabeth on Saturday, November 6, from 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The accompanying bake sale will include many homemade goodies. Food available will include stuffed cabbage, haluski and kielbasa as well as American fare and homemade soups, eat in or take out. Outdoor table space will be available for a cost of $10 per table (bring you own table). Any inquiries may be made at 412-384-6464. HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR - Presbyterian Women of Center Presbyterian Church in McMurray will be sponsoring a Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, November 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Twentysix vendors and crafters will have holiday items, jewelry, wood art, cosmetics, Christmas ornaments, decorations, and much more. The church is located at 255 Center Church Road in McMurray and admission is free.

NOVEMBER 7 SPAGHETTI DINNER BENEFIT - Please join us for a spaghetti dinner benefiting Brenda GumpSchragl on Sunday, November 7 from 12:00 noon till 6:00 p.m. at the Finleyville Fire Hall. Brenda was injured in a serious car accident on June 11 while pulling into her daughter’s rehearsal dinner at Primanti Bros. on Rt. 51. She sustained extensive injuries and spent the next 4 months in the

THE OLIVER MILLER HOMESTEAD AT TWILIGHT - Come experience the atmosphere of the Oliver Miller Homestead at twilight as you wander the grounds of this fine old home at the end of the day. The homes, buildings, and grounds will be lit by candles and lanterns and the Miller family and their friends will be seen as they rest and prepare for the end of the day. For one Sunday only, November 7, the Homestead will be open from 4:30 until 7:30 p.m. The gentlemen will be found around the fire at the fire pit as they discuss the politics of the day. The ladies will also discuss these events and will be doing stitchery, cooking, and sharing neighborhood news. Other activities will include a demonstration of starting a fire with a striker and flint. For more information, visit www.15122.olivermiller.org or contact us at 412835-1554.

NOVEMBER 8 TRIBUTE TO MILITARY VETERANS – the Upper St. Clair Founders Memorial Fund proudly announces the first annual Tribute to South Suburban Military Veterans on November 8 from 5-7:30 p.m. at Al’s Café, Bethel Park to benefit Shepherd’s Heart Veterans Home and Upper St. Clair Veterans Park Inc. Dinner cost is $10. Family rates available. Cash bar. Call 412-7267206 for reservations.

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OLDIES DANCE - An Oldies Dance will be held on November 8 from 8:00 PM - 11:30 PM at Royal Place Restaurant, 2660 Library Rd. (Rt. 88). DJ Steve will be playing music from the 50's, 60's, and 70's (www.myprodjs.com). Cash Bar. Menu Items Available. Admission: PWP members: $5.00; Non-members: $7.00. Sponsored by Parents Without Partners, South Hills Chapter #278. For information, contact Barb at 412-855-4308.

NOVEMBER 11 VETERAN’S DAY SPAGHETTI MEAL - Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church, 9th and Meadow Ave., Charleroi Borough, will host a Veteran’s Day spaghetti meal on Thursday, November 11 with lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and dinner from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. The lunch/dinner will feature homemade sauces, and a veterans discount. Eat-in or take-out all day by calling 724-489-0500. VETERANS DAY CEREMONY - A Veterans Day ceremony will be held on November 11, at 10:00 am in Chess Park, Monongahela. A parade will be held at 11:00 am in Charleroi.

PLEASANT HILLS LIBRARY 65TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION - The Pleasant Hills Library will celebrate its 65th anniversary on Saturday, November 13 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. with a wine and cheese tasting party. The event titled, “Well Red: An Evening of Art, Literature and Wine,” will include an art show and sale that will run through November 23. The evening will also include music from a local jazz band, a variety of red and white wines and cheeses for sampling, hors d’oeuvres , punch, dessert, a souvenir wine glass or coffee mug, Chinese auction and more. Tickets are available at the Library at $15 for one ticket and $25 for a pair. ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE -John McMillan Preschool, located at 875 Clifton Road in Bethel Park, will host it’s 6th Annual Rummage Sale on Saturday, November 13. Admission is free and the sale starts firmly at 8:00 a.m. and runs until 12:00 Noon. No pre-sales. If you have gently used items that you wish to donate, please bring them on Friday morning only (November 12). No computer parts, cribs or mattresses please. All proceeds benefit the John McMillan Preschool. Call 412-833-4704 for more details.

NOVEMBER 13

CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR - St. Valentine Church, 2710 Ohio St., Bethel Park, will hold a Christmas Craft Fair on November 13 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

1st Annual Charles "Bucky" McKeen Memorial Concert - 8:00 p.m. at Badlands Bar & Grille, 3540 Washington Ave., Finleyville. Live music featuring The Nancy McKeen Bluz Machine, Clinton Clegg and the Backstabbing Good People, The Jades, Lady & The Tramps, and Why? Tickets are $5.00 and are available at the door or in advance at the Medicine Shoppe in Monongahela. This year's proceeds to benefit the Finleyville Salvation Army & Food Bank and the Brenda L Gump Fund.

ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE - Presbyterian Women in Westminster Church, 2040 Washington Rd., Pittsburgh, will hold their Annual Fall Rummage Sale on Saturday, November 13 from 8:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. in the Recreation Center and Fellowship Hall. The “bag sale” and half-price sale starts at 12:30. There will be a boutique for better items. Collection day is Friday, November 12 from 8:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Please donate only clean and usable items. Magazines, textbooks, large pieces of furniture and broken or unworkable items will not be accepted. For further information, call Marilyn Hayes at 412-831-5704. NATIONAL GAMING DAY - The Monongahela Area Library will be marking National Gaming Day at Your Library on November 13. Slated are Wii “Party” from noon – 2 p.m.; Wii “Super Smash Brother Brawl” — 2 to 4 p.m. and a variety of board and card games – Noon – 4 p.m.

NOVEMBER 14 HOLIDAY SHOPPING, CRAFTS AND VENDOR PARTY – Sunday, November 14 from 11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Fr. Abbate Hall, St. Anthony’s Church, Monongahela. Sponsored by St. Anthony’s Altar Rosary/Christian Mothers, this Holiday Shopping Party will feature seasonal crafts, jewelry, purses, clothes, homemade baked goods. Vendors include Home Interiors, Pampered Chef (50% off selected items), Avon, Watkins, Tupperware, Cookie Lee Jewelry, Kenna Kreations, Tastefully Simple, Premier Jewelry and much more. Admission is free. For more information, contact Tish Cardis at 724258-4240 or Angela Tunon at 724-258-6353.

SPAGHETTI DINNER -Grace Lutheran Church of South Park Twp. will hold their 31st Annual All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti Dinner on Sunday, November 14 from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Broughton Fire Hall, 1030 Cochrans Mill Rd., South Park Twp. Dinner includes a salad bar, dessert & beverage. A mini-bazaar and bake sale is also included at the event. Tickets are $8.00 for adults, $4.00 for children 5-12, 4 and under are free. Tickets can be bought at the door; take-out available. HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER EVENT - A holiday fundraiser sponsored by the New Eagle Community Action Group will be held on Sunday, November 14 at the New Eagle Fireman’s Recreation Hall on Chess St. (handicap accessible). Doors will open at 12:00 noon and activities start at 2:00 p.m. Bingo, Chinese auction, great food. Children welcome. For further information, call 724-258-8284.

NOVEMBER 18 & 20 “HUMBUG HIGH: A CONTEMPORARY CHRISTMAS CAROL” - Thomas Jefferson High School presents “Humbug High: A Contemporary Christmas Carol” written by Lindsay Price and produced by special arrangement with Theatrefolk (www.theatrefolk.com) on Thursday, November 18th and Saturday, November 20th at 7:30 PM in the high school auditorium. Humbug High is a modernized take on the classic Charles Dickens tale.Tickets are $4 for students and $8 for adults. A ticket pre-sale will take place at TJHS on Monday, November 15th from 6:00 to 7:00. All tickets are $8.00 at the door.

NOVEMBER 19 HOLIDAY SEASON VENDOR SHOW The Friends of the Monongahela Area Library are holding their second annual “Holiday Season Vendor Show”, timed to coincide with Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Santa Clause is Shopping in Town” event. Slated for Friday, November 19, the holiday shopping will begin at 2:00 p.m. in the center of the library building and run until 8:00 p.m. Goody Two Shoes Tea Room will be on hand with scones to purchase from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Raffle baskets and door prizes. For more information, call the library at 724-258-5409. GRIEF AND LOSS SUPPORT DINNER Canonsburg General Hospital Chaplain Rev. Cathy Peternel will host a dinner for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one, 6 p.m., November 19, McNary Conference Center. The dinner is open to the public and the cost of the meal is $6.50. Reservations must be made by November 15 by calling 724-745-6100.

NOVEMBER 20 OLDIES DANCE AND DINNER - The VFW Post 1940 is having an “Oldies Dance and Dinner” on Saturday, November 20th. The tickets are $20.00 per person. Location is at the Broughton fire hall in South Park. The band is Renewed Memories. There will be a Chinese Auction, 50/50 and other activities. For reservations, please call the VFW Post 1940 at 412655-9922.

More Event Listings on page 6

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PLACES TO GO . . .THINGS TO SEE. . . STUFF TO DO . . . NOVEMBER 20 FALL FLEA MARKET - Finleyville Area Food Pantry and the Mon Valley Food Bank is sponsoring their Annual Fall Flea Market and bake sale, food and Chinese Action on Saturday, November 20 at the Finleyville Community Center, Marion Ave. from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Vendor tables are available but limited donations will be received November 12 at the Community Center. Call Rose at 724-348-7821. 7TH ANNUAL JOY OF CHRISTMAS CRAFT SHOW - Hillcrest Christian Academy’s 7th Annual Joy of Christmas Craft Show will be held Saturday, November 20 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at South Hills Assembly Church, Bethel Park. 50-60 crafters including blown glass, paintings, ceramics, jewelry, knittings, wreaths/gift baskets, wood and metal crafts. Bake sale and hot lunch cafe as well. Call 412-854-4040 hcachristmascraftshow@gmail.com.

will display their homemade crafts. No charge for admission. Everyone who attends will receive a free door prize ticket. Lots of door prizes. Need not be present to win. Drawing at 2 p.m. A Chinese action will also be available. Coffee and donuts available for breakfast from Jim Deitt. A $6 lunch buffet will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information, contact Gerri Claus at 724-663-5019. JOY OF CHRISTMAS CRAFT SHOW - St. Louise DeMarillac School and Parish Center, 320 McMurray Rd., Upper St. Clair, will hold a Joy of Christmas Craft Show on Saturday, November 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission and one ticket for Chinese auction is $2.00. Over 100 crafters, homemade baked goods, Chinese auction, candy, and lunch available. Sponsored by the DeMarillac Guild. For more information, call 412-833-1010.

NOVEMBER 21 “HOLLY DAYS” CHRISTMAS CRAFT SHOW – The Claysville Community Center, 212 Main St., will hold its annual “Holly Days” Christmas Craft Show on Saturday, November 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Claysville Community Center. Many crafters

FLEA MARKET – the Library VFW Post 6664 located on 6544 Church Street will be having a flea market in the parking lot on November 21 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Indoor and outdoor, rain or shine. Something for everyone. Bargains Galore. The proceeds benefit the VFW Post 6664.

A FRONTIER THANKSGIVING - An eighteenth century time of visiting and thanksgiving for the harvest will be observed at the Oliver Miller Homestead in South Park on Sunday, November 21, from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. The “Miller family” and their friends (volunteers dressed in period attire) will prepare and display foods common to the times using the open hearth. Past celebrations have included dishes such as colonial game pie, roast venison, and pumpkin soup. At 2:30 guests are invited to meet at the loghouse to learn about a typical church service of the late eighteenth century. The “Rev. John Macmillan” an eighteenth century minister will be present with Biblical readings and homilies. Historic crafts such as spinning, weaving, quilting, and blacksmith work will be demonstrated. Tours of the Stone House, Log House, springhouse, forge, and barn will be given throughout the afternoon. For more information, visit our website at www.15122.olivermiller.org or contact us at 412835-1554.

NOVEMBER 22 LIGHT UP NIGHT - Monday, November 22 at 7 p.m., Monongahela Valley Hospital Central Plaza. A long-standing tradition at MVH, the Light-Up Night revelry will begin at 7 p.m. and will feature a special visit by Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. During the event, the MVH Auxiliary will hold a bake sale and gift raffle. Refreshments will be served.

NOVEMBER 26 - 28 CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS AT SCENERY HILL SHOPPES - The Shoppes at the Village of Scenery Hill will be holding their annual Candlelight Christmas Celebration on Thanksgiving Weekend - Friday and Saturday, November 26, and 27, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 28, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Come to enjoy the shopping and dining in our Victorian Village at a relaxed pace. Refreshments are served in all the shoppes for your enjoyment as well as an opportunity to win $50 gift certificates at each of the shoppes. For more information, contact sceneryhillshoppes@aol.com or 724-945-5116.

NOVEMBER 27 BINGO – the Finleyville Food Pantry will hold a Bingo on November 27 at 12 Noon at First Presbyterian Church, 3595 Washington Ave., Finleyville. LIGHT-UP NIGHT - Trax Farms invites you to help us kick off the Christmas season at our Light Up Night on Saturday, November 27, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Santa and his elves arrive at 5:30. Help us light our huge tree! Then stop at the Kids Corner to visit with Santa and for other Christmas activities; make a craft, color a picture for our coloring contest , guess the candy canes and more…Browse our beautiful Christmas displays, try samples throughout the store, and enjoy special offers and discounts on this night only! Refreshments will be available for purchase in the Garden Café. Make Trax Farms your Christmas Family Tradition!

NOVEMBER 28 LUNCH WITH SANTA - Santa Claus is coming to Trax Farms! And on November 28 (lunch only) or December 4, 5, 11 & 12 Trax Farms will be hosting breakfast or lunch with Santa. Breakfast starts at 9:30 a.m. and lunch starts at 1:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at our Customer Service desk starting November 1, 2010, cost is $8.00. Seating is limited. Please make your reservations in advance. Each child will get to visit Santa. The event will include breakfast or lunch, making a Christmas craft, and taking home a special treat. (Menu for breakfast or lunch listed on our website) Bring your camera to capture some memories. Refreshments will be available for parents to purchase in the Garden Café.

SEND US YOUR EVENT LISTINGS Email: news@unionfinley.com

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LOCAL NEWS www.unionfinley.com

Ringgold School Board Should Be Scrutinized For Building Decisions Dear Editor, We must not allow the operations of the Ringgold School District to consume us. It is my understanding that, years ago the district supported about 4200 students via six classroom buildings, one administration building and one bus garage. The district employed about 15 administrators, 250 teachers, and 150 support staff. Today we only have about 3200 students in the same buildings with roughly the same staff. It is projected our enrollment will decrease to about 2500 students over the next several years. The district, in my opinion, made a sound business decision to invest around $14 million to remodel and convert the Carroll Middle School into an elementary center. This act will permit the district to downsize by closing Donora and Monongahela Elementary Buildings. The Finley Middle School, for decades, has been plagued with structural movement due to a pyrite mineral that continues to swell against the floor boards due to water absorption. While the experts tell us the building is safe, this condition could worsen at any time. The cost of removal and sealing of this mineral is not practical due to the presence of a mine ten to fifteen feet below the school and the fact that this building was built on a metal plate supported by pillars that reach down through the mine. Our existing high school has the same pyrite problem. The school board wisely removed and sealed off some of the pyrite during its $4.5 million renovation of the cafeteria and district food preparation area, however, there is still pyrite under other areas of the high school that could be readily fixed. The board’s recent decision to build a new high school and move the middle school students into our existing high school without properly dealing with the pyrite is flawed. Placing our children in a potentially harms way situation. I would hope the Ringgold School Board would rethink its position on building a new separate high school or middle school. Especially with the projected enrollments to decrease. I believe utilizing existing facilities at the present high school and simply adding needed classrooms (permanent and modular) to satisfy the short and long term requirements of the middle school and deal with the pyrite issue at the existing high school would be a much more cost-effective solution. The senior and unemployed members of our community that pay property taxes and our grandchildren will not be able to afford the luxury of this present unfrugal school board. Especially during these economic times. Our system of government works only when good people stand up and say enough is enough. Call or write the school board directors. Better yet, go to the school board meetings and express yourselves. Meetings are held at the Administration Building in New Eagle on the third Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. You must sign in to speak. -Larry Anselmino - New Eagle

Letters to the Editor can be submitted via e-mail to editor@unionfinley.com or by mail to P.O. Box 103, Finleyville, PA 15332. All Letters to the Editor must be signed and must contain the author’s return address and telephone number for verification. Letters will be printed as submitted whenever possible; however, we reserve the right to edit for length, clarity, and taste, and to refuse to publish any and all letters received. Letters to the Editor represent the unsolicited opinions of our readers and do not reflect the views or opinions of the Union-Finley Messenger, its owners, editorial board, or writing staff. No compensation is offered for any submission, and the author assumes all responsibility for the accuracy and ramifications of their submission.

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LESS

Road Traveled The

By Wild Willy Frankfort

Virginia Backcountry? William “Wild Wily” Frankfurt

eptember and October are very busy months for me. I spend a great deal of time on the road at different his-

torical sites and speaking to groups who are historically minded. As I have been traveling between Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia much of my spoken material has been on the, “Backcountry.” The term, “Frontier” is used liberally in my articles but the latter is only referred to occasionally and recently I was asked to give a definition for the term that would explain the difference between both terms. I must confess that this is not my definition but one that is generally used by historians and academics who study this subject. It goes something like this, an area is the backcountry until that area begins to turn a profit and civilized people move to that area to live and take advantage of a burgeoning market. This came up as pertaining to my talks to a few groups who are concerned with a much earlier history of where we live now. A time and place where there were few inhabitants other than native people. These folks are not interested in wars or fighting but in first contact and trade between people. Many of the first traders and explorers into the interior of the area we now live in were interested in taking advantage of a market. Weather that was furs, hides, or other natural recourses is a minor point. There are those groups who wish to know about that small group of individuals came and stayed, in a simple term, those who, “went native.” Many of these folks are interested in tools and techniques learned and shared by Natives and first contact Europeans. They think that by better understanding them they can then better understand and define when the backcountry became the frontier. My understanding in all of this is my application of the hands on skills and the knowledge of what “wasn’t” here and when it arrived. Now all of this can be pretty confusing until you break it

down into simple terms. I’m a pretty simple kind of guy and that’s why they pick me to sort of bridge the gap between two or more groups. For instance, the question was raised about when the natives first started using firearms and stopped using bow and arrows here in our area. What we have is a general idea from trade journals and receipt books of when muskets were traded to natives but we don’t know how they traveled. Did firearms traded in the New England area quickly make their way west via trade or trails? When gunpowder and lead ran out did they pick up the bow and arrow? These are some of the questions asked and when you come to think about it most of these folks asking the questions are just regular people not teachers or professors. Very little of this information will make it into a book or on the internet and you have to think of this as the crowd you speak to are like those who collect antiques or have collections in general. Only these folks are collecting information and they don’t store it in a box or little nook somewhere. They store it in the old grey matter. I hope this makes sense to all of you out there as I do like speaking to groups who are history nuts like myself. My research has taken me on more than just road trips. I am currently trying to find documents that pertain to Fort Cox and Fort McDonald. Many of the documents for Fort Cox are in Virginia and the location of the station fort at McDonald is still a mystery. Anyone who has documents like this is invited on a road trip, whether it be on the road to a historic destination or on the road less traveled. Remember our troops in far off places, things might be bad here but there probably tougher over there. Have a good Thanksgiving!

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Finleyville Bar Holds Fundraiser for Motorcycle Accident Victim Roy's by The Tracks, located on Rt. 88 in Finleyville held a fundraiser and bike run for Finleyville resident Gene Grimm, on October 16 and 17, 2010. Grimm suffered multiple head injuries from a severe motorcycle accident on September 3. Billed as a "Weekend for Gene Grimm", the fundraiser activities included live bands, a pig roast, door prizes, giveaways, a chinese auction and plenty of great food from Roy's. Motorcycles gathered on Sunday, October 17 for a bike run. (PHOTOS BY RON PUDLOWSKI)

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Jim Arthrell collected monetary donations all week while wearing his costume.

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These generous donated prizes were plentiful and very much appreciated.

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Last stop, Roys, for some food, fun and friends. Over 100 motorcycles participated in the Benefit bike run for Gene Grimm.

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Donna Baxter (L) who did an incredible job of coordinating this event, stands with Roy and Laura Arthrell, owners of Roys by the tracks.

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Holiday Season Vendor Show Planned at Monongahela Area Library

Services Provided for Victims of Domestic Violence

The Friends of the Monongahela Area Library are planning their second annual "Holiday Season Vendor Show", timed to coincide with Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Santa Clause is Shopping in Town” event. Slated for Friday, November 19, the holiday shopping will begin at 2:00 p.m. in the center of the library building and run until 8:00 p.m.. Expected to participate are representatives from Party Lite, Avon, Watkins, Tastefully Simple, Celebrating Home, and area crafters. Goody Two Shoes Tea Room will be on hand with scones to purchase from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Beyond shopping, the Friends have planned other activities for the family to enjoy. In honor of the holiday theme, Girl Scouts will be help children assemble and decorate crafts during the evening hours. Every child who stops in at the Vendor Show will also receive a little favor from the Friends of the Library. For those in search of a light refreshment while touring the city’s shopping and holiday entertainment offerings, the library will have holiday punch and popcorn. Raffle baskets and door prizes always accompany a Friends of the Library Vendor Show. Among this year’s themes are a Penguins basket and a Family Game Night basket. For more information, call the library at 724-258-5409.

Peace begins at home. As long as there is one woman living in fear of her partner, it is one too many. No one deserves to be abused and we can help. Washington Women's Shelter, Inc. provides safe, confidential services for victims of domestic violence. Our hotline answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, We offer safe, temporary shelter and support services. Washington Women's Shelter, Inc. also provides a support group for women who have been or who currently are in abusive relationships. It is a confidential, low pressure, safe place to be yourself. Call 724-223-9190 or 1-800-791-4000 for more details. For Greene County support group information, call 724-852-2463. It could be a call that changes your life.

Experience The Oliver Miller Homestead at Twilight Come experience the atmosphere of the Oliver Miller Homestead at twilight as you wander the grounds of this fine old home at the end of the day. The homes, buildings, and grounds will be lit by candles and lanterns and the Miller family and their friends will be seen as they rest and prepare for the end of the day. For one Sunday only, November 7, the Homestead will be open from 4:30 until 7:30 p.m. In November of 1794 the Miller family and their neighbors were deeply involved in the events of the Whiskey Rebellion. Some family members had fled and others were unsure of their fate. The gentlemen will be found around the fire at the fire pit as they discuss the politics of the day and wonder about what course they should follow. In the Stone House, the ladies will also discuss these events and will be doing stitchery, cooking, and sharing neighborhood news. Violinist Greg Evans will stroll the grounds providing background music for our guests. On the porch of the Stone House, guests may purchase warm cider and cookies of the type appropriate to the Miller times. Other activities will include a demonstration of starting a fire with a striker and flint. In addition, the forge will be open and working. The barn will be open and will hold displays relative to the Whiskey Rebellion. For more information, visit our website at www.15122.olivermiller.org or contact us at 412-835-1554.

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New Retail Center Planned for Northwest Corner of Donaldsons Crossroads By J.R. Brower Two existing structures, one historic, will be torn down to make way for a commercial development at Donaldsons Crossroads in Peters Township. The Donaldson home on Washington Road, built in the late 1800â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and the residence of the family for whom Donaldsons Crossroads was named, will be demolished as will the current PNC Bank building on West McMurray Road. Three properties will be reconfigured to construct a new larger 7,000 square-foot PNC Bank along with an 8,000 square-foot retail center. The developer, CHT Peters Township LLC announced their plans in a council meeting in late September. Although council approved the project, they expressed concerns over increased traffic in the already heavily traveled area. The retail complex will include a mobile telephone outlet, a mattress store and an urgent care center. Other retail establishments who will locate there were not identified. It is not yet known when construction is expected to begin.

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Pleasant Hills Library 65th Anniversary Celebration The Pleasant Hills Library will celebrate its 65th anniversary on Saturday, November 13 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. with a wine and cheese tasting party. The event titled, "Well Red: An Evening of Art, Literature and Wine," will include an art show and sale featuring the works of many local artists that will run through November 23. The evening will also include music from a local jazz band, a variety of red and white wines and cheeses for sampling, hors d'oeuvres , punch, dessert, a souvenir wine glass or coffee mug, Chinese auction and more. Tickets are available at the Library at $15 for one ticket and $25 for a pair. All proceeds benefit the Library. The Pleasant Hills Library first opened on November 29, 1945 in the Pleasant Hills Volunteer Fire Department Fire Hall. It had a collection of 15,000 donated books and a volunteer staff. Today the Library has more than 55,000 items that include DVDs, CDs, magazines, newspapers, and audio books. It also has public computers, free Wi-Fi and much more. A listing of all Library programs and activities can be accessed through the Library's website at pleasanthillslibrary.org.

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Bid on a Bachelor! Castaway Lounge Hosts First Charity Bachelor Auction to Benefit Breast Cancer Research Eight charming eligible Bachelors volunteered to go up for bidding. Pictured (l-r) William Burrows, Brian Adams, Ernest Merritt (Buzz), Jason Lesnock, Dan Sowa, Steven Dell, Zach Bart, and Ryan Kurka.

Candlelight Christmas at Scenery Hill Shoppes The Shoppes at the Village of Scenery Hill will be holding their annual Candlelight Christmas Celebration on Thanksgiving Weekend - Friday and Saturday, November 26, and 27, 10:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, November 28, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Come to enjoy the shopping and dining in our Victorian Village at a relaxed pace. Refreshments are served in all the shoppes for your enjoyment as well as an opportunity to win $50 gift certificates at each of the shoppes. Find those unique and special gifts to complete your holiday shopping at Northern Flicker featuring handmade candles and soaps and then choose from holiday items and gifts at the Elves Lair. Antiques and vintage jewelry are available at the Crown Jewels while Everything But the Cat carries an eclectic mix of old and new treasures. Crafts and art can be found at Ryan’s Reflections while heritage lace and dolls can be found at Kountry Korners. Find treasured new and old items at The Grape Vine and Sister’s Junque Shoppe in rooms and rooms of surprises. Enjoy freshly roasted coffee and all kinds of tea at Jan’s Tea Shoppe and Second Street Coffee. G.G. Gundie’s has gifts for all occasions, including BeanPod Candles, jewelry and holiday gifts for all. Top off your visit with s relaxing lunch or dinner at the ever-charming Century Inn (reservations recommended). For more information, contact sceneryhillshoppes@aol.com or 724-945-5116.

Gastonville Elementary Center to Hold Veterans Day Program

Pink was the theme color of the evening as guests readied for the Charity Bachelor Auction.

The Castaway Lounge provided Breast Cancer Awareness information free for the taking.

Gastonville Elementary Center (GEC) proudly presents their 10th annual Veterans Day Program on Thursday, November 4, 2010. Veterans from all branches of the Armed Service will be honored in a special program beginning at 1:30 p.m. All local veterans are encouraged to attend, especially those who are relatives or friends of current GEC students. Registration will start at 12:30 p.m. in the Hospitality Room. Snacks and refreshments will be served. Invitations and pre-registration forms will be sent home with each student. Veterans may also register by phone. Please call (724) 348-7205 and ask for Mrs. Lamberger.

By Alice Harris Castaway Lounge on Rt. 136 in Forward Township hosted its first Charity Bachelor Auction to benefit Breast Cancer Research on the evening of October 9. Eight eligible bachelors volunteered to go up on the auction block to bring in over $600. Each bachelor received a certificate for dinners donated by local restaurants to enjoy an evening out with his winning bidder. The Castaway Lounge also served special “pink” drinks for this occasion, distributed breast cancer awareness information, decorated in the Breast Cancer Awareness color theme pink, held raffles, and gave away prizes. October was National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This event at the Castaway was great fun for everyone while bringing in funds for a very important cause.

Help Your Local Neighbors in Need this Holiday Season Salvation Army Asks for Support

Ryan Kurka could not stop laughing as the auctioneer coaxed a few additional dollars for him.

In these times of economic hardship, the Salvation Army is looking to the public for support to help with Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and gifts. Either financial or food items will be accepted at: Finleyville Area Food Pantry, 3595 Washington Ave, Finleyville, Pa, 15332 All donations are accepted and appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help.

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New Outpatient Care Center Coming to Peters Township West Penn Allegheny Officials Break Ground for Facility

Mr. Terry Wiltrout, Vice President of operations at Canonsburg Hospital displays an artist’s conception of the new outpatient care center.

By Paul Chasko There seems to be a change in thinking in the way major medical systems are planning future facilities. Instead of having most of their facilities in the big city hospital (Pittsburgh for instance) they seem to be favoring outpatient facilities in the suburbs as the wave of the future. Bring the facility to the patients rather than forcing patients to travel into the city for simpler procedures. This certainly will make sense to most folks who are used to having to travel to Oakland for medical care. A case in point is the new outpatient facility being planned by West Penn Allegheny Health Systems in Peters Township. Mr. Terry Wiltrout, Vice President of Operations at Canonsburg Hospital has been attending various meetings in the area measuring the public’s reaction and gathering ideas for the planned facility. The new facility will take over space and add to a small strip mall on route 19 just across from the Sears parts center.

He had some conceptual drawings and plan views of what the facility might look like. Some of the concepts being considered are rather unique. Imagine coming in to see your PCP, and he refers you to a specialist in the same building and being able to get your lab work and prescriptions filled just down the hall. They’re billing it as a one-stop medical facility right here in the South Hills. Combine that with an outpatient surgical service, radiation oncology, medical oncology, diagnostic imaging, pediatrics and orthopedic services and you may avoid tedious trips into the city. The plans even include a 750 square foot conference room that may be available to the community as well. The construction is planned in 4 phases with the all work done by July of 2011. According to Mr. Wiltrout, specialists in various fields of medicine are already making expressions of interest in office space in the planned facility.

At the groundbreaking ceremony (l-r) Front: Kim Malinky, President & CEO of Canonsburg General Hospital; Dr. Colleen Murphy; Robyn Stechly, CRNP; Dr. William Coyle; Dr. Sigurdur Petursson; and Dr. Arunkumar Sanjeevi. Back: Louis Astorino, Senior Principal of Astorino; Kerry Burgan, President, Board of Directors, Peters Township Chamber of Commerce; Gene Trout, Chief Financial Officer of CGH; Dawn Grim, Interim VP of Operations of CGH; Joe Macerelli, Chairman, Board of Directors, CGH; Terry Wiltrout, Project Manager of the Outpatient Care Center; Robert Bodner, Architect of VEBH; George Pastor, Project Superintendent of Astorino; and Marc DelRosso, Construction Project Manager of Astorino.

A group recently gathered together to showcase the groundbreaking and construction happening at the Outpatient Care Center - Peters Township (OCC-PT) of West Penn Allegheny Health System. This physician-led outpatient center will provide a synergy of services, both clinical and surgical, to create one center of care. West Penn Allegheny expects to invest just over $14 million to develop the 55,000 square foot facility, formerly the Radicchio complex. Patrick DeMeo, M.D., and other physicians from AGH’s nationally recognized Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Division of Sports Medicine, the official medical provider for the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball club, will be the first to occupy the outpatient care center in November.

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A Frontier Thanksgiving at Oliver Miller Homestead in South Park An eighteenth century time of visiting and thanksgiving for the harvest will be observed at the Oliver Miller Homestead in South Park on Sunday, November 21, from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Long before President Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday, it was common for the frontier people to gather some time after the harvest to give thanks and visit before winter set in. The “Miller family” and their friends (volunteers dressed in period attire) will prepare and display foods common to the times using the open hearth. Past celebrations have included dishes such as colonial game pie, roast venison, and pumpkin soup. At 2:30 guests are invited to meet at the loghouse to learn about a typical church service of the late eighteenth century. The “Rev. John Macmillan” an eighteenth century minister will be present with Biblical readings and homilies. Historic crafts such as spinning, weaving, quilting, and blacksmith work will be demonstrated. Tours of the Stone House, Log House, springhouse, forge, and barn will be given throughout the afternoon. For more information, visit our website at www.15122.olivermiller.org or contact us at 412-835-1554.

Free Flu Clinics in Finleyville Jefferson Hills Area Ambulance Association has received, via a grant, a quantity of influenza vaccine effective against the normal flu and the H1N1 strain. They are offering the shots to residents free of charge. They held clinics at St. Francis Church in Finleyville on October 7 and October 13. If you missed these clinics, there will be one more on November 10 in the St. Francis Finley Hall just off Rt. 88 in Finleyville. (PHOTOS BY PAUL CHASKO)

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Brownie Troop 54218 Raises Funds for Alex's Lemonade Stand

Monongahela High School Class of 1969 Holds Reunion

THE MONONGAHELA HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1969 REUNION ATTENDEES First row, (L to R): Pauline Volk-Pierce, Francine Sion-Mizwa, Kathy-Ali-Davidovich, Debbie RobisonHarne, Cathy Barden-Krukow, Joe Matesich (kneeling), Paul Kulp, Kathy Halverson-Haight, Ray Colosimo. Second Row (L to R): Debbie Short-Germeo, Lynne Kepic-Grant, Janey Ward-Long,Paul Adkins, June McKeever-Anderson, JoEllen Sharp-Borden, Suzanne Warren, Cathy Vancik, Joyce YoheRace, Margaret Ursits, Barb Caserta-Zampan. Third Row (L to R): Cliff Jeter, Keith Davis, Chris Tsouris, Robert McNatt, Barry Spaziani, Bill Oberman, Kerry Burgan, Joe Wilson, Bob VanVoorhis. Not shown: Debbie Black Mcfadden, Jim Paver, Kyle Craig, Sharon Metcalf, and Joe Mancinelli

Brownies of the Pleasant Hills/Jefferson Hills Brownie Troop 54218 headed outside to sell lemonade instead of having their usual meeting at Prince of Peace Church on Wednesday, September 22. A severe storm whipped through the area right before the stand opened, but this did not deter the girls or customers! Offering a cold glass for only $1, the girls raised over $450 to donate to Alex’s Lemonade Stand in just a few hours. Alex’s Lemonade Stand began when Alex Scott (1996-2004), a cancer patient, wanted to hold a lemonade stand to help raise funds to find a cure for all children with cancer. Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation was started on this very simple concept and so far, the foundation has raised over $30 million towards fulfilling her dream of finding a cure. September was Cancer Awareness Month, and this was a great opportunity for the girls to contribute to this worthy cause.

The Union-Finley Messenger is a proud member of the following organizations:

Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce

By Heather Kelley-Latorre The Monongahela High School Class of 1969 held their 41st year reunion on September 11, 2010, in Mingo Creek Park, PA. Classmates came from as far away as New Mexico, Colorado and Maryland to reunite with our former classmates. "It was a fun filled day for all. The weather was picture perfect,” said Dorothy Penn-Mason, Reunion Organizer and Treasurer. The class of ’69 enjoyed catching up with each other and while playing a High School Trivia game, as well as more poignant moments. A tribute was given to deceased classmates; each name was read aloud during a soft played song, “Memories- The Way We Were.” The class joined in song for their Alma Mater “Hail to Thee.” To commemorate the lives lost on 9/11, they also sang “Proud to be an American” and “God Bless the USA.” For “remember when” moments, there were also many songs and music from the era, provided by Chuck Ott. Penn-Mason gave kudos to the Springhouse Market in Eighty-Four, PA and their staff, who catered the event. “The food and service was excellent,” said Penn Mason. The 45th year is just around the corner and Penn-Mason hopes that many more of our class will participate!

Family Hospice and Palliative Care Community Bereavement Support Groups Family Hospice and Palliative Care Community Bereavement Support Groups are held at the following times and places: • The Center for Compassionate Care, 50 Moffett St., Mt. Lebanon, third Monday of every month from 7-8:30 p.m. • Southminster House, 801 Washington Rd., Mt. Lebanon, second Tuesday of every month from 1-2:30 p.m. • Baldwin Community United Methodist Church, 5001 Baptist Rd., Whitehall, first Wednesday of every month from 7-8:30 p.m. All above are free to the public. No registration required. For more information on these South Hills support groups, contact the Family Hospice Bereavement Dept. at 412-572-8829.

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Take A Trolley Rise With Santa and See Toy Trains At The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum

Ann Campbell requires all winners to fill out the background check forms.

Joe DeRosa of Elizabeth was the first winner of the day, proudly taking home a Remmington Shotgun.

Gun Bash Held at Valley Inn VFD The Valley Inn VFD held a "Gun Bash" on Sunday, September 26 at the Valley Inn VFD Social Hall. Attendees browsed a wide selection of firearms from collectors and sellers. A $20 donation was asked at the door, and proceeds benefit the VFD. Drawings were held, and one lucky winner won $1,500! (PHOTOS BY RON PUDLOWSKI)

Becca and John of Venetia check out the guns at the “Pick of the table” area.

Washington County Literacy Council Opens Two Mon Valley Centers Washington County Literacy Council announces the opening of its two new Mon Valley Centers serving the entire Mon Valley. The Council provides free, confidential oneon-one tutoring to adults who want to improve their reading skills or pursue their GED. The Council also participates in a number of literacy awareness programs that focus on early childhood & family literacy. The Literacy Council has many volunteer opportunities available. Volunteer tutors and potential students are encouraged to contact us at either The Donora Public Library, 510 Meldon Ave. or The First Presbyterian Church of Bentleyville, 812 Main St. For more information, call 724-489-7137, e-mail linda@WCLC4literacy.org or visit www.WCLC4literacy.org.

Ride the Santa Trolley at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum and join in an annual tradition that is fun for the whole family! Children take a trolley ride with the jolly old guy in red and make sure that he has their Christmas list, while parents and grandparents enjoy caroling and the scenic view from a beautifully restored vintage streetcar. Dates for Santa’s visit to the PA Trolley Museum are November 26-28, December 4-5, and December 1112 from 10am to 5 pm (last trolley with Santa leaves at 4 pm). After taking a ride with Santa, check out our huge, multileveled Lionel toy train layout featuring O scale trains and trolleys in our Visitors’ Center. The museum is pleased to again participate in the “Toys for Tots” campaign. Bring an unwrapped toy with a minimum value of $10 and received a free admission. We are accepting toys through December 12th. Trolleys and Toy Trains will be November 26-9, December 3-6, 10-13, 17-20, 27-30. Friday& Monday 10am – 4pm and Saturday & Sunday 11am -5pm (Note the museum will be closed Dec 25). Come ride our festive trolleys, decorated for the season, then come and experience our beautiful multi-leveled Lionel toy train layout featuring 8 running trains and trolleys in our Visitor Education Center. Make a stop at the museum store for unique railway oriented gifts. Admission is $9 Adults, $8 Seniors (62+) and $6 for Children ages 3-15, under age 3 is free. There is also a special family rate of $35 that includes two adults and up to four children. Admission includes trolley rides, exhibits, and the Museum Store. DIRECTIONS: Take I-79 to exit 41, Race Track Road, or take US Route 19 to Race Track Road. Left at Pike Street and then follow PA Trolley Museum signs approximately 3 miles to the museum. For information call 724-228-9256 or visit the website at www.pa-trolley.org.

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South Hills Friends of the Montour Trail Meetings The South Hills Friends of the Montour Trail is a group of individuals interested in the maintenance, improvement and promotion of 11 miles of Montour Trail from Library (Milepost 35.3) to Clairton (Milepost 46.3). Regular meetings of the Friends group are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM at the Jefferson Hills Borough building. The November 2010 meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 10, and the December meeting and annual Christmas party will be held on Wednesday, December 8. Individuals interested in the Montour Trail are encouraged to attend. Additional information concerning the trail may be obtained on the Montour Trail website at www.montourtrail.org. Activities concerning the entire Montour Trail and links to the sites of other western Pennsylvania trails are also posted on the web site. The South Hills Friends would also like to thank the many individuals who donated their pennies to make our 5th annual Penny Day fundraiser on October 9 a success

Sponsor a U.S. Soldier for Christmas

This year Military Connections Corporation is trying to send Christmas Stockings to as many U.S. Troops as we can. We are going to purchase food, snacks, and supplies and stuff the stockings full for our troops. Being away from home for the holidays is very difficult for a soldier or marine and we hope that the stockings will be a great morale booster. If you would like to sponsor a soldier or marine, please send $10.00 to: Military Connections Corporation 312 Auburn St. Pittsburgh, PA 15235. Your ten dollars will cover the cost and contents of the stockings. You can also include a note or picture and we will put it in the stocking. In order to make sure that the stockings reach the troops by Christmas, we have to mail them by December 5th. All donations are tax-deductible. For more information, call (412) 496-8941, e-mail militaryconnections@hotmail.com or visit www.militaryconnections.org.

McMurray Rotary Club to Hold Charity Gala – November 6 McMurray Rotary’s Annual Charity Gala will be held Saturday, November 6 from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. at Valley Brook Country Club. There will be wine tasting, full sit down dinner, DJ, games, dancing, auctions and more. McMurray Rotary Club has been serving Peters Township for 45 years. During that time we have performed countless community service projects, and donated over $1 Million to local, regional and international charitable organizations. This event raises the majority of the funds for these philanthropic activities, with all proceeds from the Charity Gala going directly to our charitable endeavors. Some of our community service projects include: purchasing and erecting the clock tower at the municipal building; building a picnic shelter in Elm Grove Park; and conducting annual blood screenings. We provide funding to 20 - 30 local organizations each year, including our funding of the Mango Languages program offered by the Peters Township Library, and giving dictionaries to all Peters Township third graders. For more information, contact Gary Rosensteel at info@mcmurrayrotary.com or 724-941-1266.

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West Jefferson Hills Historical Society and Jefferson Hills Public Library Host Fall Festival

Windover Hills United Methodist Church Hosts Fall Harvest Show Windover Hills United Methodist Church of South Park held its 2nd Annual Fall Harvest Show Sunday, September 26 at Broughton Fire Hall. More than 50 crafters and vendors gathered to display a fine collection of holiday items, jewelry, candles, purses, pillows, cosmetics, and much more!

The beautiful fall weather allowed for outdoor craft tables where kids gathered to make Halloween-themed items.

The West Jefferson Hills Historical Society and the Jefferson Hills Public Library hosted their 1st Annual Fall Festival on Saturday, October 16 at the Jefferson Hills Municipal Building. This family event featured lots of fun-filled activities, including kids’ crafts and games, a craft show, Chinese auction, bake sale, and pumpkin patch. A bake sale and hot foods were enjoyed by all. The event was sponsored by the GBU Local District 496.

Kids had a ball digging through a haystack to find prizes hidden within!

The Turk girls of Jefferson Hills joined in the fun by getting air-brushed tattoos!

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News from the Washington City Mission

The Sultan Car Club of Canonsburg presented a $250 check to Washington City Mission in September. Shown (l-r) are Tom Nickovich, Mission CFO Denise Henning, Paula and Robert Vietmeier.

Susan King, branch manager of Washington Financial located at 190 N. Main St. in Washington, recently presented Dean Gartland, president/CEO of Washington City Mission with a check for $5000.Mission CFO Denise Henning, Paula and Robert Vietmeier. Canon-MacMillan High School's Every Day Living Class, part of the Family Consumer Science Dept., prepared and served lunch to the residents, staff, volunteers and guests at Washington City Mission on October 14. The menu consisted of beef and barley soup, chicken and rice with mixed vegetables, tossed salad and for a fresh fruit salad for dessert. Delicious!

TJHS Drama Presents ‘Humbug High: A Contemporary Christmas Carol’ Thomas Jefferson High School presents “Humbug High: A Contemporary Christmas Carol” written by Lindsay Price and produced by special arrangement with Theatrefolk (www.theatrefolk.com) on Thursday, November 18th and Saturday, November 20th at 7:30 PM in the high school auditorium. “At TJ, the holiday spirit is certainly alive and thriving,” said Sandra Barker, Theatre Department head. “Actors, techies, musicians, and dancers - students from all walks of life at TJHS - have been busily planning, preparing, and rehearsing for this funny yet heartwarming rendition of the Dickens’ tale of greed, forgiveness, and new beginnings.” Humbug High is a modernized take on the classic Charles Dickens tale. Ebenezer Scrooge is transformed into Eddie Scrooge, an angry high school hall monitor who is visited by the ghost of his crabby, deceased lunch lady Madge and taken on a journey by thee Christmas Ghosts to rejuvenate his child-like spirit and show him the error of his ways. All of the students involved have been putting in long hours and working hard; Jon Veres, a junior who plays Eddie Scrooge commends the hard work of his cast mates, “We have a stellar group of actors and all will put on a fantastic show,” said Veres. Director Julie Quackenbush says, “It will be a great time for the whole family…each generation will find something to love in Humbug High. It is not only entertaining, but has a great message.” It is a great way to kick off the holidays! Tickets are $4 for students and $8 for adults. A ticket pre-sale will take place at TJHS on Monday, November 15th from 6:00 to 7:00. All tickets are $8.00 at the door.

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That Old House By William “Wild Willy” Frankfort

Indian Cabin Location: Schoenbrunn Village, New Philadelphia, Ohio Owner: Schoenbrunn Village Associates

“Profiling historic, old or unique homes throughout the area”.

When I give a speech about local or Eastern Woodland Indians, I am usually asked about where they lived and what type of dwelling did they live in. Many folks are surprised to learn about Indian Cabins and that their civilization lived in them. Indians or Natives Americans lived in log structures at different times. Much of the time they utilized these shelters where trade and permanent meeting places were needed. Many tribes were nomadic in the sense that they moved when the local recourses were exhausted or their lands were too close to another tribe or white inhabitants. The log cabin was used when logs were available to be garnered without much intense labor and more often after metal tools became available through trade. Most of the logs were cut to size and made very much like the log structures first introduced to early white settlers by the Finn’s and Swedes who first settled on the east coast. Natives used the interlocking or notched logs but also used a process of placing two vertical logs in the ground at two ends, then stacking logs between them and forcing limbs into the cracks then chinking. At the ends of these structures they would interlock the logs chinking the same way as the side walls. This method offered an easy way to

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ad on to a family structure as the family grew. These were called longhouses in the same way other structures were called longhouses, which is to say that most woodland tribes built their structures long to accommodate large groups. The difference between white and Indian structures is the fireplace. If you look closely at the photo above you will notice no fireplace but rather a whole in the center of the roof of the cabin. Inside the cabin, you would find a fire pit in the center of the structure. A very efficient way to warm a cabin as this affords the heat to radiate out from the center and not from one end as in white structures. I am a regular visitor to the village and have my own cabin. I highly recommend a trip to Shoenbrunn if you’re interested in Native American history. The Delaware who lived here were Christian Indians and the site offers a church the sits about one hundred and the Indian School. You can learn about the history of Reverend David Ziesburger and his efforts to teach the tribes about our god and his teachings. It is a great place and worth the trip. Travel west on I-70 to I-77 north get of the New Philadelphia exit and travel route 39 through town to the airport and follow the signs. Tell ‘em Wild Willy sent you…

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Snap Fitness in South Park Raises Money For Cancer Research Snap Fitness members that participated in the Fitness Challenge: (back row) Samantha Sbei, Lisa Sbei, Chris Canaday, Cole Devine & Barbara Devine. (Foreground) Jason Beisler –Personal Trainer.

The members of Snap Fitness have been using their workouts to raise money for St. Jude's Cancer Research Hospital. Members asked for pledges towards their completion of a Fitness Challenge designed by personal trainer Jason Beisler. Five members participated in the challenge which took place in the gym on Saturday, October 23rd. Completing the challenge were, Chris Barbara Devine (Gym manager) and her son, Cole Devine, doing Canaday, Lisa Sbei and “side taps” during the fitness challenge for St. Jude. her daughter Samantha, Barbara Devine, gym manager, and her son Cole. The participants performed 5 different exercises for one minute each in three rounds for a total of fifteen minutes of rigorous exercise. The exercises included push-ups, Jumping Jacks, Squats, side taps and squat thrusts. The five individuals collectively completed 3468 repetitions of the five exercises. The pledges are being collected through the end of October. This is the first time the South Park facility has attempted this type of fundraiser. We are pleased with the outcome and are hoping for greater member involvement in our next charity competition. Jason Beisler mans the stopwatch as Chris Canaday Snap Fitness is located at 4110 and Lisa Sbei do their “push ups’ for a good cause. Brownsville Road in Champion Plaza, South Park. Visit us on the web at snapfitness.com/southparkpa or stop in for a tour of our facility. We are open for tours from 9 to 1 Monday through Saturday, or in the evenings from 5 to 8 Monday through Thursday.

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Breast Cancer Walk Held in Charleroi

Several area families took the opportunity on a rainy evening to attend “Open House” at the Finleyville Volunteer Fire Department. It was part of the “National Fire Prevention Week” celebration. Guests enjoyed handouts, demonstrations, cookies and drinks. The kids had a great time. (PHOTOS BY PAUL CHASKO AND RON PUDLOWSKI)

Coral Ruschak and Grandmother, Cora Ducoeur

Gabby Nolder

Finleyville VFD Hosts Open House

This fireman explains the vehicle extrication tools to the visiting children and adults.

Kaleb Fisher climbs aboard the fire truck.

Jeff Lawrence, President of the Finleyville VFD, demonstrates the thermal imager camera.

* To see additional photos from this event, please visit our website at unionfinley.com, and click on the "Photo Gallery" button

Kim Davis and her crusaders

The Lois Orange Ducoeur Breast Cancer Walk was held on Saturday, October 9 at the new Charleroi Market House. Over 250 people came out in support of this event which benefits breast cancer patients using the Charles L. & Rose Sweeney-Melenyzer Pavilion and Regional Cancer Center at Monongahela Valley Hospital and the PA Breast Cancer Coalition.

UNION-FINLEY MESSENGER

Owner/Publisher Douglas E. Haniford

Published Monthly by Haniford Enterprises, LLC

Assignment Editor Krista Ramsey

Editorial Coordinator Judy Gramm

P.O. Box 103 Finleyville, PA 15332 Phone/Fax: (412) 249-8177 E-mail: news@unionfinley.com The Union-Finley Messenger is published during the last week of the month preceding the issue date. It is available FREE of charge at over 275 area locations throughout the South Hills and Mon Valley communities. Subscriptions are also available.

Contributing Writers Ken Askew J.R. Brower, Jim Caldwell, Chasity Capasso, Paul Chasko, Andrea Earnest, William Frankfort, Alice Harris, Charlotte Hopkins, Mandy Withers-Kozlowski, Heather Latorre, Samantha Milton, Lisa Tomosky, Christen Stroh

Pictured (L to R) Austin Dooley, Abigail Dooley and Dawson Dooley came to enjoy the Open house at Finleyville Volunteer Fire department.

Photography Paul Chasko Marianne Kleppner Jeramie Kozlowski Scott McCurdy Ron Pudlowski Director of Sales & Marketing Lisa Tomosky Account Executives: Charmaine Nebash Tina Patterson Renee Schoedel Art Director JMC Graphics adsjmcgraphics@aol.com (412) 835-5796

Editorial Policy The Union-Finley Messenger publishes community news free of charge. We welcome the submission of articles, news releases, community announcements, editorials and letters for publication. The Union Finley Messenger will accept information via telephone, e-mail, Fax, or U.S. mail. Articles submitted without the complete name, address and telephone number of the author will not be printed. All submissions are subject to editing for length, clarity and taste. Photographs will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Deadline for submissions is the 12th day of the month preceding issue date.

A future fire fighter behind the wheel of one of the engines. © Union-Finley Messenger and Haniford Enterprises, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. We reserve the right to reject or cancel any advertisement at anytime. The opinions expressed in the Union-Finley Messenger are those of the author, and not necessarily of the Union-Finley Messenger.

For advertising information, call (412) 249-8177 or e-mail news@unionfinley.com

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MARC Holds 4th Annual Town Hall Meeting in Monongahela Father George Yatsko, talks to town hall meeting attendees about his role and ideas for a better community.

Monongahela Area Revitalization Corp. (MARC) with the cooperation of Southwestern Pennsylvania Human Services (SPHS) sponsored a Town Hall Meeting on Monday, Sept 20, 2010. The focus of the meeting was to define and understand the role of the Religious Leaders in Enhancing the quality of life in the community. Moderator for the event was Anthony Lombardi, retired CEO of Monongahela Valley Hospital. (PHOTOS BY RON PUDLOWSKI)

Enhancing the quality of life in the community, Father George Chortos, Pastor Michael Milinovich, Anthony Lombardi (Moderator), Father George Yatsko and Bishop Scott Fredrick.

Local EMS Officers Honored

John Bower – Supervisor, EMT-P Tri-Community South

Christopher (Chris) Geraci, ALS, EMT Tri-Community South

By Paul Chasko Three local EMS Providers from Jefferson Hills Area Ambulance Association and TriCommunity South EMS were honored recently at the Fourth Annual PA EMS 911 Event. “A Tribute to our Past and Present EMS Heroes” was held on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at the Holiday Inn - HarrisburgHershey. These three were among the twelve honored from the state of PA.

2010 STAR OF LIFE RECIPIENTS: John Bower – Supervisor, EMT-P Tri-Community South EMS, Length of Service: 32 years

Spaghetti Dinner to Benefit Our "Hometown Miracle"

Robert Gibson, RN, NREMT-P Jefferson Hills Area Ambulance Association

Christopher (Chris) Geraci, ALS EMT Tri-Community South EMS, Length of Service: 18 years Robert Gibson, RN, NREMT-P, Assistant Chief Jefferson Hills Area Ambulance, Length of Service: 32 years

Please join us for a spaghetti dinner benefiting Brenda Gump-Schragl on Sunday, November 7 from 12:00 noon till 6:00 p.m. at the Finleyville Fire Hall. Brenda was injured in a serious car accident on June 11 while pulling into her daughter’s rehearsal dinner at Primanti Bros. on Rt. 51. She sustained extensive injuries and spent the next 4 months in the hospital, a month of which she was in a comatose state. By the grace of God she is now home with her family and continuing to make her miraculous recovery one day at a time. She has come further than anyone could have ever imagined but still has quite a ways to climb. In order for her to continue her progress she is now in need of medications, therapy, and numerous other appointments and medical costs. The support and prayers from everyone has helped Brenda get to where she is today. Please continue to support this "Hometown Miracle". Dinner will include Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad, Bread and Butter, Beverage, and Dessert. Adults $7; children 10 and under $4. Take-out available.

Fall Fashions Showcased in Finleyville By Ron Pudlowski

Clothing models, Ruth Storoskel (L), and Nadine Stark (R), display the new fall fashions.

Phyllis’ Fashions put on their annual fashion show once again in the Finleyville community center. Women from surrounding communities take part in the event every year in October. Refreshments and light snacks were provided. Once the new fall lineup was modeled and introduced, fashion seekers were able to purchase clothing items and accessories from Phyllis.

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Images of America - Donora Donora History Showcased in Photographs in New Book The founding of Donora was the result of social, political and economic interaction among elite and powerful capitalists. In less than a year, the population of Donora quickly boomed from an original 12 residents to more than 4,000. They shared a common value system based on education, hard work and devotion to faith and family. In a new book by Arcadia Publishing, local authors Charles E. Stacey, Brian Charlton and David Lonich from the Donora Historical Society document the colorful past of Donora. Highlights of Donora: • Features never before seen vintage photographs from public and private collections • Remembers the Great Smog of 1948 that distressed Donora but helped generate federal clean air laws • Depicts number individuals from Donora who have excelled in sports, education, medicine, law, military and the arts • Showcases the once-thriving steel industry and Donora mill A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book will be used to fund Donora Historical Society projects. Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at 888-313-2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com.

Mon Valley YMCA to Honor John Barbero The Mon Valley YMCA with Corporate Sponsor Charleroi Federal Savings Bank is proud to honor the memory of John Barbero, longtime public address announcer of the Pittsburgh Penguins, on Sunday, November 7. John was an educator that touched the lives of many children in his 30 year teaching and administrative career. Vic Vitale and Jerry Zahand chair a committee of volunteers including Dr. Randy Rodriguez, Dan LaCarte, Dr. Dennis Borodaty, Mark Raitano, Kevin Lee, Milt Kubik, Ron Monack, Ken Wiltz, Susan Capocciama and Angel Gulick. Proceeds from the Sports, Entertainment and Celebrity Auction will establish a memorial scholarship to be awarded each year in John’s honor to a deserving high school senior or college student from our Valley and Mon Valley YMCA Youth and Teen Programs. The afternoon event is geared to families. In addition to the auction and cash prize drawings, some of the events will include a DJ, food and entertainment. Over $5000 in cash and prizes will be awarded throughout the day. A drawing will take place every half hour beginning at 1:30 p.m. The live auction items include an autographed Joe Montana Notre Dame Jersey, an autographed Joe Montana action photo and other sports and celebrity memorable. For tickets or to donate an auction item or service, please call Jeff or Angel at the Mon Valley YMCA at 724-483-8077.

Holiday Fundraiser in New Eagle A holiday fundraiser sponsored by the New Eagle Community Action Group will be held on Sunday, November 14 at the New Eagle Fireman’s Recreation Hall on Chess St. (handicap accessible). Doors will open at 12:00 noon and activities start at 2:00 p.m. Activities will include bingo, Chinese auction, great food and much more. Children welcome. Hope to see you again this year. For further information, call 724-258-8284.

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Snap Fitness Hosts Food Drive to Benefit Local Families Snap Fitness of South Park is holding a membership drive in the month of November that is geared to giving back to the community. During the entire month of November, every individual who joins the gym and brings in a bag of groceries for the local food bank, will have their enrollment fee waived. The food donations will be donated to The Society of Saint Vincent De Paul, coordinated through St. Joan of Arc Parish. For more information or questions, please call Snap Fitness at 412-595-7879, and ask to speak to someone about November's Food Drive. Snap Fitness is located at 4110 Brownsville Road in Champion Plaza, South Park. Please visit us on the web at snapfitness.com/southparkpa or stop in for a tour of our facility. We are open for tours from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Monday through Saturday, or in the evenings from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM Monday through Thursday.

Grab Your Own FREE Copy! Can’t find your very own copy of the Union-Finley Messenger? Just stop by to one of our convenient Newspaper Boxes located throughout the South Hills and Mon Valley!

■ Bunola U.S. Post Office Bunola ■ Eighty Four Subway ■ Elizabeth U.S. Post Office - Elizabeth ■ Finleyville U.S. Post Office - Finleyville ■ Gastonville U.S. Post Office Gastonville ■ Jefferson Hills / Large Large – PAT Transit Park & Ride Lot (Rt. 51 and Peters Creek Road)

Altamare - Norman Michael, 83., of Monongahela died Wednesday September 22. Arrangements under direction of Frye Funeral Home in Monongahela.

Meagley - Adelbert A, 76., of New Eagle died Thursday September 23. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville.

Baxter - Ruth Elizabeth, 89., of Monongahela died Thursday September 23. Arrangements under direction of Frye Funeral Home in Monongahela.

Miller - John Bernhardt, 68., of Somerset Township died Friday September 17. Arrangements under direction of Frye Funeral Home in Monongahela.

Berchok - Magdalene “Madgie”, 83., of Jefferson Hills died Saturday September 18. Arrangements under direction of Stephen Slater Funeral Home in Jefferson Hills.

Mineo - Claire H, 85., of Finleyville died Sunday September 5. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville.

Berrish - Francis Albert, 91., of Carroll Township died Thursday September 2. Arrangements under direction of Frye Funeral Home in Monongahela.

Before they’re gone!

■ Bethel Park Lytle Station – PAT Transit Park & Ride (Brightwood Road and Lytle Road)

Recent Local Death Notices

■ Monongahela West Main Street (in front of PNC Bank) West Main Street (in front of Monongahela Manor) ■ New Eagle New Eagle Borough Building U.S. Post Office – New Eagle ■ Peters Township U.S. Post Office - Venetia Jersey Mike’s Subs (Waterdam) ■ South Park Library – PAT Transit Park & Ride Station (Rt. 88 and Pleasant Street) U.S. Post Office – Bavarian Village

Look for more box locations coming soon! Visit www.unionfinley.com for a complete list of area stores, businesses, newsstands and other locations where you can pick up a FREE copy of the Union-Finley Messenger every month.

Berry - Mary Frances, 87., of Union Township died Thursday September 23. Arrangements under direction of Frye Funeral Home in Monongahela. Boyer - Charles “Chuck”, 86., of Elizabeth Township died Saturday September 25. Arrangements under direction of Stephen Slater Funeral Home in Jefferson Hills.

Papak - Susan A, 91., of Monongahela died Thursday September 23. Arrangements under direction of Frye Funeral Home in Monongahela. Polonoli - Shirley M, 73., of Finleyville died Sunday September 12. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville. Schallenberger - Violet C, 96., of Finleyville died Thursday October 7. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville.

DeMoss - Eomenique Elaine, 21., of Long Branch died Monday September 20. Arrangements under direction of Frye Funeral Home in Monongahela.

Staffen - Joseph Frank, 83., of Forward Township died Tuesday September 7. Arrangements under direction of Frye Funeral Home in Monongahela.

Dolley - John K, 86., of Finleyville died Sunday September 19. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville.

Stickles - Leonard “Bill”, 80., of Jefferson Hills died Wednesday October 13. Arrangements under direction of Stephen Slater Funeral Home in Jefferson Hills.

Garry - Ann C, 86., of Finleyville died Monday October 4. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville.

Stoffer - Ann, 91., of Finleyville died Thursday October 14. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville.

Kucinich - Betty J, 86., of Carnegie, Formerly of Finleyville died Tuesday September 21. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville.

Thorp - Paul Raymond, 79., of Monongahela died Thursday September 16. Arrangements under direction of Frye Funeral Home in Monongahela.

Kulik - Andrew Jr, 84., of Finleyville died Tuesday August 24. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville. Mayak - Victor J, 86., pf Trafford, Formerly of Finleyville died Sunday September 19. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville.

Veres - Jane, 82., of Finleyville died Sunday October 17. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville. Wilkinson - John Henry, 79., of Finleyville died Sunday August 22. Arrangements under direction of Kegel Funeral Home in Finleyville.

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A ‘Sweet’ Celebration at the CrossRoads Community Church Pie Bake-Off By Charlotte Hopkins CrossRoads Community Church of Jefferson Hills recently hosted their Second Annual Pie Bake-Off. People from around the community baked homemade pies and treats, ranging from Key Lime Pie to Espresso Brownies, in hopes of winning a medal. In the end, the Bronze Medal was awarded to Brandon Wagner for the Oreo Pie, Alysa Petry won the Silver Medal for her Peanut Butter Pie and the Gold Medal went to Bonnie White for her Dutch Apple Pie. The “People's Choice Award” was won by Karen Hathorne for her Apple Surprise Pie. The “surprise” was that there were no apples in the pie; the key ingredient was Ritz crackers! “I love this," said Hathorne. "I never won a cooking award before." In anticipation for the next year's Pie Bake-Off keep your eye open for tasty recipes; keeping in mind, that they must be homemade and cannot be store bought or the recipe of a celebrity.

Kristiana O'Brien and Lynnae White anxiously awaiting the start of the Pie Bake-Off.

Ben Petry stares with anticipation at the sight of the delicious pie display!

Christi Hughes and Ben Petry savoring the Coconut Cream Pie.

Diana Serpa and John Serpa sampling a taste of each pie.

Victoria Hathorne joins the winners of the Pie Bake-off, (rear) Victoria Hathorne, Karen Hathorne, Bonnie White, (front) Alyssa Petry and Brandon Wagner

“Holly Days” Christmas Craft Show – November 20 The Claysville Community Center, 212 Main St., will hold its annual “Holly Days” Christmas Craft Show on Saturday, November 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Claysville Community Center. Many crafters will display their homemade crafts. No charge for admission. Everyone who attends will receive a free door prize ticket. Lots of door prizes. Need not be present to win. Drawing at 2 p.m. A Chinese action will also be available. Coffee and donuts available for breakfast from Jim Deitt. A $6 lunch buffet will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information, contact Gerri Claus at 724-663-5019.

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Nottingham Township Revises Proposed Off-Road Vehicle Ordinance and Sets Public Hearing Date By J.R. Brower After listening to residents’ feedback on the proposed Off-Road Vehicle Ordinance at the first public hearing in July, the Nottingham Township Board of Supervisors made some significant revisions, which they revealed at their October 18 meeting. These changes had to do mostly with lessening distances from homes and property lines where riding off-road vehicles would be permitted. The original draft called for not allowing off-roading within 150 feet of any property line where permission of the property owner has not been previously obtained. The new draft lessens the distance to 75 feet. The original draft called for not allowing off-roading within 500 feet of an occupied home unless the rider owns the home or has permission of the owner. The new draft lessens that distance to 250 feet. Another revision has to do with the size of lots where off-road vehicle riding will be permitting. Allowed will be riding on lots

10 acres or larger in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 zoning districts as specified in the original draft. The revised draft allows landowners to pool lots together to meet the 10-acre required, but such pooling will only be permitted in the R-1 zoning district. An additional revision seen as making the proposed ordinance less strict is increasing the allowed decibel noise level from 55 dba or higher to 80 dba or higher. Hours when off-roading is permitted were not changed: no earlier than dawn or 7:00 a.m. – whichever occurs later, and no later than dusk or 8:00 p.m. – whichever occurs earlier. Penalties for violations of the ordinance are proposed to remain the same, $500.00 plus all court costs and municipality attorney fees to be enforced by the township’s zoning officer. The supervisors agreed to advertise the date of the next public hearing on the proposed Off-Road Vehicle Ordinance for November 1 at 7:15 p.m. Their intent is to finalize and adopt the ordinance after the hearing during the regular scheduled meet-

ing. The complete proposed ordinance can be viewed on the township website www.nottinghamtwp.com. In other matters at their October 18 meeting, the Nottingham Board of Supervisors: Approved a Home Occupation / Conditional Use application for a photography studio for Jenna Luta, 1132 Venetia Road upon recommendation of the Planning Commission. Approval is contingent on a parking plan that will require Luta to put in five parking spaces next to her home business. She confirmed that her photography business will by appointment only with regular 9:00 to 5:00 hours, and no one who does not live in the house will be employed there. Approved a request Temporary Structure Permit for Carl and Patricia Melhorn, 354 Sundust Road. The Melhorns have built a new home on their property. The purpose of the permit is to allow an extension through the end of May to give them enough time to tear down their old house. Acknowledged receipt of correspondence

from Joseph Newman, 154 West Patterson Road, North Strabane regarding the status of a ham radio tower on property at 10 Sugar Run Road owned by Jim Sanford. Board Chairman Ray Barley advised that a letter should be written to Newman stating that the tower, upon which an antenna was installed in June, is in compliance with zoning regulations. A permit for the tower, itself, was granted in 2005, and a variance on the 110 feet height was subsequently approved thereafter. Acknowledged receipt of certified mail from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) advising that they have approved Washington County’s Stormwater Management Plan. The letter stated that the deadline for municipalities to adopt or amend their ordinances accordingly to comply with the plan is March 21, 2011. Announced that Chesapeake Energy has postponed the start of their Marcellus Shale natural gas drilling operation on the Harbison property off Cooper Road from October to January.

Elizabeth Borough Takes Action to Keep Town Clean By Alice Harris The Elizabeth Borough’s September 28 Council Meeting opened with the payment of bills. Total expenditures were $28,841.52. An amount of $526.64 from the parking meter fund was approved for police vehicle tires purchased at Essey’s. A variety of borough "maintenance and repair" issues were addressed at the meeting. The sidewalk at 408 2nd Street is in need of repair, and a letter will be sent to the homeowner. Bushes on 306 Center Ave need cut down, and a letter will be sent to both the homeowner and mortgage company to comply. Decorative streetlights that stay on during day need repaired and the stairs to Walker Heights need repaired. A public hearing on 9/21/10 to demolish 221 N. Water Street gave the owners 30 days to appeal. If no response, the remains of Pfield’s Bar will be demolished. Councilwoman Robin Miller asked to have potholes between the Dollar General and the BP Station repaired immediately.

In other borough business: • Mayor Householder complimented Officer John Snelson and Officer Dan Verno for good police work in the arrest of the actors involved in the theft of lottery tickets from the BP Station. • Councilman Larry Duval requested the Borough Secretary if minutes could be made available within 10 days after the Borough meeting. • Police Officer Pat Conley, at the end of his probationary period, was approved as a regular part time Officer. Mayor Householder and OIC John Snelson complimented Officer Conley for good knowledge of his job, excellent report with the public, and stated he is a great asset to the Borough. • Elizabeth’s Allegheny Together participation has been extended for 2 more years (for a total of 5 years). The cost needs figured into the budget. • A letter will be sent to Penn Dot thanking and complimenting Bob Schlott for his appearance and information presented at last month’s Borough meeting.

Elizabeth Mayor David Householder congratulates Elizabeth Police Officer Pat Conley on his promotion from probationary to regular Police status.

November 2010 â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

MUNICIPAL NEWS

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Union Township Supervisor Scott Tkach Resigns

! & " $ ! # !

Decision Driven by Relocating Residency By Paul Chasko It came as no surprise to those acquainted with Supervisor Scott Tkach that he would be resigning from the Union Township (UT) Board of Supervisors. He handed his resignation to the Board near the end of the general meeting on October 11. Mr. Tkachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resignation was in anticipation of his upcoming marriage and his move out of Union Township. Giving up his residency in Union Township means he must also give up his position on the board of supervisors. His resignation was accepted by the board - with regrets. Chairman Parish and the remaining board members thanked Scott for the years of service heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d given to Union Township. He received wishes of good fortune on this new step in his life from all who stayed until the end of the meeting. The Board has advertised for resumes from residents interested in an appointment to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Tkachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resignation. Resumes were to be received before 3:00 pm on October 25. By law, the board must fill the vacancy within 30 days

Vasantha C. Madhavan, M.D., FACC

of its creation or the UT vacancy board will be tasked to fill the position. Mr. Tkachâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s term would have expired on January 1, 2012. A Floodplain Ordinance was passed and may be reviewed at the UT Building. The ordinance is viewed to be well-suited for conditions existing in UT. Almost in tandem a letter was received from the Washington Co. Planning Commission urging that all townships within the county adopt their proposed Storm Water Management Plan as an Ordinance. This plan is viewed by many including officials of our own Conservation District to be so restrictive as to stifle future development in the suburbs. Chairman Parish commented that, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Townships may be forced to adopt and enforce the regulations set forth in this plan under threats of cessation of grant funds.â&#x20AC;? Solicitor Makel was authorized to review the letter and to prepare a response for board review. Visit our web site www.unionfinley.com and search on "Union Township" or click on "Municipal news" to see more details on this meeting.

Ramesh R. Chandra, M.D., FACC

Stuart G. Tauberg, M.D., FACC, FACP

Our practice includes physicians that are board certified in cardiovascular diseases, interventional cardiology, nuclear cardiology, echocardiography and cardiac pacing and defibrillation. Cardiovascular Imaging Center offers a full range of state-of-the-art diagnostic testing performed by our Board Certified Physicians. Our imaging center maintains distinguished accreditations with ICANL, ICAEL, and ICAVL. Our cardiologists are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide scheduled and emergency cardiac care.

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MUNICIPAL NEWS

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Peters Township Council Awards Bids for New Park Buildings By J.R. Brower

We now have Duquesne!

Peters Township Council approved bids at their October 11 meeting for new buildings in the plaza section at the center of the area where new athletic fields are being constructed in Peterswood Park. Phase 2 construction will include a picnic pavilion and a heated multi-purpose building with an Pictured is one of the new ball fields in Peterswood Park. observation deck on the The site of the plaza with the concession building and observation roof. This building will deck is behind this field in the center of the photo. contain areas for concessions and storage as well as restrooms. A separate bid was approved using high quality materials could result in for dugouts for the four athletic fields that savings later saying, “a 59 cent bolt can cost you thousands of dollars later on.” will surround the plaza. A strong supporter of the project was The lowest bids out of seven submitted James Berquist, who said that he felt JMT were selected. Masco Construction of did a great job and that the observation deck Peters Township was selected for construcwill be a place where people will congregate. tion of the multi-purpose building, the He referred to it as a “wow factor” that will observation deck, the picnic pavilion as help attract residents to the township. well as the plaza site preparation. Their Arcuri responded that the project should base bid was in the amount of $483,838. A. not be perceived as a contest. “We should Liberoni of Plum Borough was selected for not be in the business of wow factors. We construction of the dugouts with a base bid need more for the taxpayers’ money,” he of $130,172. The dugouts will be of consaid. crete block construction and will include Steep typography is another factor that storage areas. has added to the cost of grading and landCouncil approved the bids by a vote of 5 scaping including retaining walls. Both – 2. Voting against approving the bids were Lauer and Township Manager Michael Frank Arcuri and Robert Atkison. Silvestri agreed that work on the five new “I think we could have done a better job athletic fields is progressing rapidly. Utility with taxpayers’ money,” said Arcuri. “I’m relocation is costly as well, and a new sewer not happy paying so much money in this line will have to be constructed to meet up economic climate.” He said that his main with the existing line off Sugar Camp Road. concern was with the high cost of the The total cost of the Peterswood Park observation deck, saying that he would expansion project will be close to $2.5 milhave preferred using that money for providlion. ing lights for the fields. Assistant Township Manager Paul Lauer told council that JMT, the architects of the project were very specific on the design of the deck including the type of bolts to be used as well as stainless steel railing. Some council members objected to the fact that different less expensive options for the project were not presented. Council Chairman David Ball said that he felt that the whole budget for the project was too high. Council member Monica Merrill said that more design options would have been nice, but that going back and adding more at this point would make the project even more expensive. “You can’t design by committee,” she said. Council member Robert Lewis said that

November 2010 —————————————————————————————

MUNICIPAL NEWS www.unionfinley.com

Finleyville Borough Building Renovation Underway By Paul Chasko After procuring a loan to add to the grant funds received last year and selecting a contractor, the renovation of the Finleyville Borough Building is well underway. Architect/Engineer Mr. Harry Maple is managing the project and Preffered Renovations owned by Mr. Raymond Preffer is the general contractor for the project. The project may be completed before Thanksgiving. The original beamed ceiling of the old bank building is being restored, dry wall is up and the custom made windows replicating the original windows have been received. Council President Tim Kegel reported that Mr. Maple is satisfied with the progress to date and Mr. Robert Griffin of the Development Authority stopped by earlier and commented that this was a very well planned project from the outset. This was contracted as a 60 day project with penalties for late completion.

Workers are restoring the original be amed ceiling of the old Finleyville Bank.

In Other Business: • A contract was renewed with Waste Management Co. for residential pickup of solid waste. Rates will be $11.84 /month for 2011 and 2012, $12.20 for 2012 Dry wall is being finished and window openings are being and $12.56 for 2013. readied for the custom-made windows. • The State Liquid Fuels allocation ($9,477) for salt and street lighting was received. • Trick or treating was set for Sunday October 31 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. • Repairs to the Borough truck have been completed. • A police report was submitted.

Coming in December

Senior – LIVING –

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www.unionfinley.com

New Eagle Bakery & Pizzeria 161 Main St. • New Eagle

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Jefferson Hills Borough to Continue Winter Road Maintenance at Jefferson Pointe Jefferson Estates and Gillcrest Drive Also to be Serviced By Jim Caldwell The regular meeting of the Jefferson Hills Borough Council on Monday, October 11, 2010 was straightforward, very much shorter than usual and uneventful. All twenty one motions passed unanimously by the entire Council with no discussion and nothing more than the required seconds, except one. There was a brief discussion on the motion to continue winter road maintenance services at the Jefferson Pointe plan and to provide the same for Jefferson Estates and Gillcrest Drive. All three involve private roads, not public, and it was a more a matter of policy than a legal concern, as the Borough Solicitor remarked, of extending the public services to these private associations. Councilman Tracey Khalil dissented along with Councilwoman Vickie Ielase, saying that those residents knew when they built in these plans that it was not subject to public plowing. Councilwoman Jan Cmar remarked that they were still taxpayers and deserved the courtesy. President Chris King stated that the Borough needed to be able to get emergency services to these residents. The vote was five to two, passing the motion. These were financial approvals and awards: • $48,241.78 to Robinson Pipe Cleaning for Sewer repairs. • $84,384.16 to Fleming-Walker, Inc. for Sewer repairs. • Awarded a bid of $84,507.00 to Plavchak Construction Company for the Worthington Avenue Sewer Project. • Awarded a bid of $56,510.84 to Pavement Technology for pavement rejuvenation. Appointments approved by all members: Tom McDermott, John Kudrna and William Gleason to the UCC Board of appeals. Robert McTiernan was appointed as the Civil Service Commission Hall rental available for Solicitor. up to 100 persons Final approval was granted for the Carnegie Natural Gas Company Plan • Parties • Receptions • Meetings and the EQT Training Facility. • Shows • Bingo and more! There was little if any general busiFor rental information call ness or reports before adjournment.

Finleyville Community Center

724-348-9656

3547 Marion Avenue • Finleyville, PA 15332

November 2010 —————————————————————————————

MUNICIPAL NEWS

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Peters Township Council Discusses Roads New Way to Slow Traffic, New Weight Limits and New Intersection By J.R. Brower A new approach to calming traffic without speed humps was presented to Peters Township Council at their October 11 meeting. At the request of residents of Springdale Road, the Traffic Calming Committee undertook a study to determine the best way to slow traffic, which has intensified in recent years due to increased development in the area. Rather than installing speed humps, the committee recommended 3-way stop signs where Springdale Road intersects Sunrise Drive and Farmview Drive. There will be increased speed limit signs as well as signs indicating that the area is in a traffic calming zone. Two removable speed indicator display devices will be installed with reflective strips on the signposts to highlight them.

A total of 102 residents along Springdale Road were surveyed, and 52 voted in favor of the traffic calming recommendations. Since a majority of those surveyed approved of the measures, council voted unanimously to approve them. In other new business related to roads, a new motor vehicle ordinance amending the current ordinance was approved. The purpose of the ordinance is to add weight limits on roads not previously studied as well as add new roads to establish speed limits and stop signs. Township Manager Michael Silvestri said, “We looked at roads where we anticipate future development and Marcellus Shale drilling.” The road to which he specifically referred was McClelland Road, which will be increased to a 25-ton weight limit. The study and ordinance is required to be able to require bonding.

In another traffic matter, it was announced that PennDOT has requested that the township now pay its share of the cost to upgrade the Valley Brook Road / Route 19 intersection. The multimilliondollar project is currently in the “preaward” status, and Peters Township’s share is $800,000, which has already been budgeted. The new intersection will include a new ramp north of the present intersection that will connect Route 19 with Old Washington Road near to where is intersects with Valley Brook Road. The project is expected to take two years to complete. In other business at their October 11 meeting, council: • Announced that it will be conducting workshops on November 1 and 18 in preparation for a public hearing on the 2011 township budget on November 29.

The proposed budget will be available for review on November 15. A copy will be available at the library and summaries will be on the township website. The budget is scheduled for adoption on December 20. In light of the slowly recovering economy, Council Chairman David Ball said the township “will be doing what we can to reduce the budget.” No proposed tax increase is expected for 2011. • Authorized the receipt of $294,370 from the state, which will be deposited into the township’s pension plans within 30 days. • Approved annual fuel bids totaling $120,500 through the township’s contract with the intergovernmental purchasing cooperative SHACOGG. Projected usage is 32,000 gallons of gasoline and 21,500 gallons of diesel fuel.

Peters Township Gas Drilling Ordinance Public Hearing set for December 8 By J.R. Brower A public hearing on Peters Township’s proposed natural gas drilling ordinance has been scheduled for Wednesday, December 8 at 7:30 p.m. Peters Township Council agreed to the date at their October 11 meeting. The first public hearing was held in February, and since then improvements have been made to the proposed ordinance. In August, the township held a gas ordinance workshop attended by council, the Planning Commission and the Environmental Quality Board. At that workshop, it was discussed to possibly increase the size of minimum acreage for well sites from 10 acres to 20

acres. Parcels would still be allowed to be combined to meet that requirement. Drillers would be required to post bonds for public road use in the amount of $12,500, as determined by the state’s Uniform Code Bonding law. The township will be able to specify routes of trucks to and from drilling sights. They would also have to sign maintenance agreements by which they would be required to repair road damage as it occurred. Other conditional uses discussed at the workshop to which drillers would have to comply in the proposed ordinance included strict decibel level noise limits, fencing requirements and 60-day periods for site restoration once drilling is completed. The ordinance will also address where

drilling can take place, only in zoning districts designated R-1A. Township Manager Michael Silvestri said that he expects most of the drilling to occur in the southeastern part of the township, which is the least populated. If the township leases its land, the area of Peters Lake Park will be off limits to drillers, since it is registered as a woodland conservancy. Municipal ordinances on gas drilling are preempted by the state’s Oil and Gas Act, which specifies that drilling can take place no closer than 200 feet from a residence. Currently, there is no specification on this in the current ordinance, but Solicitor William Johnson said that it would be up to the township to include an allowable distance more than 200 feet in the ordinance. He

said that the chance the township would take is that a driller could legally challenge a distance of more than 200 feet. Silvestri and council had agreed previously that a gas well site constructed 200 feet from a residence would be too close. Johnson said at the workshop that with the ordinance, “the township is trying to tip-toe around the Oil and Gas Act and get as much authority as we can.” Before the public hearing on December 8, the proposed ordinance will be reviewed by both Washington County and the Peters Township Planning Commission to see if any final changes are recommended. The final version will then be posted on the website, www.peterstownship.com.

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3-Year Refuse Collection Bids Announced at New Eagle Council Meeting By Ken Askew Four bids for refuse collection were announced at the monthly New Eagle Council meeting. Prices ranged from $268K to $304K total for the 3-year period of the contract. The low bidder was Nickolich Sanitation, at $95/year per customer for 2011, $95 for 2012, and $99 in 2013. Starting in December 2010, instead of a postcard format, the bill will be on a sheet of paper and mailed in an envelope. In other borough business: • Council decided to submit another application this year for gaming revenue sharing; it will be for the same storm sewer project they proposed last year. • The Employee Directives document has been approved by the Borough Public Works Department employee’s union, which clears the new rules for implementation. • In preparation for winter, Council has (1) installed new tires on the Borough’s backhoe and front-end loader, (2) ordered road salt (delivery is imminent), and (3) purchased new holiday decorations—3’ diameter LED snowflakes, to be mounted on utility poles. • Leaf pickup will be available on Mondays and Fridays through November 19. Leaves must be in bags, and limbs must be placed separately at the curb. • Stone paving will be done on Spruce Alley and the alley between 7th Avenue and Center Avenue. • The new Borough Maintenance Ordinance is now in effect; hopefully, it will result in better-maintained sidewalks, driveways, and streets. • In short order, last month’s meeting minutes were approved and bills were paid. No one spoke up at the public forum and the parties scheduled for a public hearing did not show up, so the meeting was adjourned.

Monongahela Council Discusses Road Debris and Skateboard Issues Demolition of Duplex May be Called Off - Again By Ken Askew For the second month in a row, a resident complained about road surface problems on East Main Street. Anthony Necciai attended the October 13, 2010 meeting of Monongahela Council to plead with Council to do something about dirt, oily substances, PCB’s, other hazardous wastes, and Truck tires coated with grime exit the Monongahela Iron & glass particles being deposited Metal Company, and then leave tracks on East Main Street/ by trucks exiting the Route 837 in Monongahela. Monongahela Iron & Metal Company. Trucks enter the facility with “clean” tires will take a few more years. For the teens, it to deliver scrap metal, but while driving on was a real-life civics lesson in “government the unpaved surface of the business, the red tape” and alphabet soup acronyms such tires pick up debris which is worn off onto as LSA, DCNR, and RACP. Councilman the East Main Street pavement for a distance Ken Kulak suggested that perhaps the of about 1/8 mile in both directions (see skateboarders could conduct fundraisers to photo). The road is dusty on dry days and build a skateboard park somewhere, and get their parents to help them. muddy on wet days. In frustration, Ms. Porter tried to clarify Mr. Necciai described the road as “A disgrace to the city and a health hazard.” He exactly where—in the meantime--skatePolice Chief has contacted the state Department of boarding IS permitted. Environmental Protection, but to no avail. Tempest reiterated that skateboarding is He wants the scrap yard to pave the exit strictly prohibited on sidewalks and streets area, and install tire wash equipment there. in the downtown business district, and to a Council had stated last month they were slightly lesser degree in residential areas. aware of the problem, and had given the Safety is the issue—skateboarders on sidenew owner of the facility ninety days (end- walks are apt to hurt a pedestrian, whereas ing on September 30) to implement a rem- skateboarders on streets are susceptible to edy. Moreover, Police Chief Tempest con- being hit by a motor vehicle. Furthermore, sidered ticketing trucks as they exit the parking lots of the post office, schools, facility but refrained, since those trucks banks, churches, or other privately-owned (not owned by Monongahela Iron & Metal) entities are off limits due to potential liabilare not the root cause of the problem. ity issues. In the continuing saga about the potential Council suggested Mr. Necciai contact the demolition of the duplex located at 1106Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, since the road is also Route 1108 Chess Street, the owner (Mr. Rigby of 837, a state-owned highway. Council Canonsburg) appealed the demolition order agreed to pay for testing of the substances of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas; the case is now pending in found on the pavement. Next up in the Public Forum was Karin the court of Judge Pozonsky. However, Mr. Porter, who has been advocating and work- Rigby was ordered to pay legal costs ing with Council members for several years incurred by the City of Monongahela relato build a skateboard park at the tive to the demolition action; payment has Aquatorium. She wanted to know when been made. Consequently, a summit meetgrant monies already received for this pur- ing of all six concerned parties was held at pose will be spent. Additionally, ten teenage the property to agree on what actions need boys sat quietly and listened intently, hop- to be taken to bring the duplex up to building to hear how soon the skateboard park ing codes. Visit the Union Finley Messenger website will open. To their dismay, Council assured them the skateboard park IS part of the www.unionfinley.com for information and details overall Aquatorium renovation (which has on other business conducted at the October 13, 2010 meeting. Search "Monongahela" been in the planning stages for a few years), or click on "Municipal news" but because of the protracted lead time required to obtain grants, the project likely

November 2010 —————————————————————————————

MUNICIPAL NEWS www.unionfinley.com

South Park Township Residents Voice Concerns Over Marcellus Shale Drilling By Andrea Earnest The October 11 regular meeting of South Park Township Council was preceded by a Public Hearing at 6:30 P.M. to receive public comment and input on Ordinance No. 652 to add conditions and definitions to current zoning ordinances in regard to natural gas drilling within the township. The township is trying to lessen the impact on residential areas. They want to separate the two types of well sites, shallow wells, which are historical in Western Pennsylvania, and have little impact and the deep well drilling for Marcellus Shale. The conditional use for deep well drilling will be on a minimum of 20 acres. Ms. Pamela Rittiger, 202 Sylvania Drive, expressed concern about the question of the land in South Park Township being undermined by coal mines. She also expressed concern about the chemicals used in the “fracking” process and if a list is supplied to emergency responders in case of a spill. Township Chairman David Buchewicz explained that the responders will be trained for such an event. Mr. Howard Earnest, 1553 Wilson Road, expressed concern about water issues and asked that the board proceed carefully. Supervisor Walter Sackinsky stated that that is controlled by the Department of Environmental Protection and that a well is not allowed within 100 feet of a stream. Chairman Buchewicz said that “we will look out for the protection of our residents”

and that this is going to be a work in progress. A meeting will be held at 7 PM on Wednesday, October 27, before the Planning Commission. The Public Hearing was continued until Monday, November 8, at 6:30 P.M. At the regular meeting, Mr. Ron Franko thanked the Board for their help is resolving the issues surrounding the public nuisance complaints against property at 3400/3404 Brownsville Road Extension. He said the property is looking better, but he feels the owner will allow the property to go back to what it was when it is no longer being observed. He stated that he has had vandalism at his house and complained of harassment. Mrs. Mary Franko questioned again about the grandfathering of the property. Mr. Gary Wargo, Code Enforcement Officer, stated that the property is grandfathered. Township Solicitor Paul J. Gitnick will come to a legal conclusion of grandfathering. Ms. Shirley Lee Pierce stated that everything seems to be okay, although she also complained of vandalism. The Board decided that because of all the corrections and remedial actions the property is not a nuisance at this time. Supervisor Sachinsky thanked all who helped make the Community Day successful, particularly Ms. Karen Fosbaugh, Township Manager. Full minutes are available at the Township Office.

Transforming the South Park Fairgrounds Officials Hold Meeting with Residents and Consultants By Andrea Earnest On September 29, county officials met with residents at the South Park Fairgrounds to provide information and obtain input about the County Parks Action Plan. This was a step in the process to transform the South Park Fairgrounds into a modern facility reflecting the needs of today’s park users. Jeaneen Zappa, Sustainability Manager, Allegheny County, and others explained the process. GAI Consultants, Inc., Homestead, has been contracted to facilitate the project. After an overview, residents participated in four breakout sessions to identify potential priority improvements areas and get specific ideas from the public. Some of the discussions centered on such topics as an interactive water feature, hiking trails, and retaining the historic nature of the park. A general discussion followed the breakout sessions. Future meetings are in the works, but if you would like to provide input, you may fill out the survey at http://www.alleghenycounty.us/Parks/SPFairgrounds/SPFsurvey.aspx.

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UNION-FINLEY MESSENGER

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7jh^cZhh BZgX]Vci CZlh Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Network Upcoming Meetings The Women's Business Network is open to area women business owners and those in sales seeking networking opportunities to expand their contacts and share ideas to help grow their business. Meeting agendas include self-marketing, a business presentation by an individual member, a table topic discussion and networking. Each of the various local chapters meets twice a month on the following dates and locations: â&#x20AC;˘ The Mount Lebanon Chapter meets on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday's November 9 and 23 at 8:30 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza on Fort Couch Rd. For more information, contact Ellen Diamond at 412-260-8766. â&#x20AC;˘ The South Hills Chapter meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday's November 4 and 18 at 8:00 a.m. at King's Restaurant, 155 McMurray Rd. in Upper St Clair. For more information, contact Rebecca Wanovich at 412-835-5660. â&#x20AC;˘ The McMurray Chapter meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday's November 10 and 24 at 8:30 a.m. at Panera Bread located in Trinity Point Plaza across from Walmart in Washington. For more information, contact Valerie Bartels 412-418-3072.

Monthly Pizza Puzzler! Win a FREE Large â&#x20AC;&#x153;Grandeâ&#x20AC;? 1-topping Pizza from Vocelli Pizza*! Two (2) lucky winners every month! Just fill in the correct answers to the questions below, and write your name, address and telephone number on the entry form. Then mail in your entry form to the Union-Finley Messenger. Each month we will draw two (2) local winners from all correct entries. Winners will receive a gift certificate good for one (1) FREE Large â&#x20AC;&#x153;GRANDEâ&#x20AC;? pizza from Vocelli Pizza. Remember to look for a new Monthly Pizza Puzzler every month, and send in your entry form! (*Good only at Finleyville location. One entry per household per month. Employees of the Union-Finley Messenger; Haniford Enterprises LLC, or Vocelli Pizza are not eligible.)

â&#x20AC;˘ Official Entry Form â&#x20AC;˘

(Deadline for entries is November 10)

Find the answers to these three (3) questions somewhere within this edition of the Union-Finley Messenger. What is the name of the business in Monongahela that recently reopened? What is the name of the pharmacy in South Park that is â&#x20AC;&#x153;going greenâ&#x20AC;?? The football field at Monongahela Mounds Park has officially been named after who? Name: Address: Phone Number: Entry forms should be submitted to: Union-Finley Messenger, Attention: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Monthly Pizza Puzzler,â&#x20AC;? P.O. Box 103, Finleyville, PA 15332

Congratulations to our October Pizza Puzzler winners! LORI BARKEY- Monongahela â&#x20AC;˘ JOAN HOLBERT- Eighty Four

Gilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CafĂŠ Still Hooks the Locals By Heather Kelley-Latorre Gilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CafĂŠ and Bar in South Park has been hooking locals for over 35 years. This past spring however, there was a change in the tide. The original owner of Gil's decided to retire, so Fred Squier decided to test the waters by purchasing the business. The change in ownership has been low-key and much of the fundamentals remain the same. Squier underGilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CafĂŠ owner, Fred Squier, invites everyone to come watch stands that many local folks â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;theirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; favorite college game on Saturdays. have a history here and thus have an â&#x20AC;&#x153;emotional investmentâ&#x20AC;? in the bar a Penn State sign as well as Pitt and WVU signs to the restaurant. Alumni or not, he and restaurant. "This place belongs to our customers," invites fans of all local colleges to come in said Squier. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s their bar.â&#x20AC;? As such, the on a Saturday to enjoy themselves, have a changes have been subtle, like bringing good meal and cold beer while watching back crab legs and retaining many of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;theirâ&#x20AC;? game. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And then come back on Sunday to menu favorites like the prime rib and fried fish. As significant as the history is, the watch the Steelers,â&#x20AC;? added Squier. Take the bait and go get hooked at Gils. future of Gil's is just as an important to Squier. His hope is that many more will Check them out on Facebook, it is an easy find, or visit their upcoming website: come to see the bar as â&#x20AC;&#x153;their bar.â&#x20AC;? As a Penn State alumni, Squier has added www.gilscafeonline.com

MVH Recognized as "Best Place to Work" by Washington County Chamber There is always cause to celebrate the excellence of Monongahela Valley Hospital. And it is especially significant to rejoice when accolades extended to them are shared by all members of the health system. Using objective criteria and electronic polling, Washington County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Washington Greene County Job Training Agency, Inc. - Work Certified Academy, recognized MVH as the 2010 Best Place to Work in Washington County in the large company category.

Monongahela Valley Hospital Announces Partnership with Image Radiology Group IRG Diagnostic, a new service of Monongahela Valley Hospital, Inc. (MVH) will now operate two diagnostic imaging facilities in McMurray and White Oak. MVH recently announced that it is partnering with Charleroi-based Image Radiology Group LP to offer a variety of diagnostic services in McMurray and White Oak. Both locations were independent diagnostic centers with capabilities that include 1.5 T High Field Ultra Short MRI, Ultrasound, Walk-In X-ray, CT Scan, Echocardiogram and Bone Density testing. The McMurray location also includes C-Arm and Open MRI among its services.

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Grand Openings! Look what’s new in Town The Machin Family, of Pleasant Hills, enjoying the hot coffee and tasty donuts, (r-l) Richard, Jeanne, Ben and Elijah

Anthony Braun and Robyn Frederic, of the Heartland Restaurant Group, greeted customers, holding the door open for them and making sure they each received their free breakfast sandwich coupon

The Lagoni Family, Zoey, Chase and Brooke enjoyed the chocolate iced donuts

Dunkin Donuts Opens in Pleasant Hills By Charlotte Hopkins As Dunkin Donuts opened their doors; neighboring communities joined in the Grand Opening Celebration on September 28, 2010. Their doors opened at 5:00 AM and the first 100 customers received a Dunkin Donuts coffee mug. In the weeks prior to opening, as they trained their employees they gave donuts away to local businesses. All customers who attended the Grand Opening were given coupons for a free breakfast sandwich! The address for the new Pleasant Hills location is 360 Curry Hollow Road in the Curry Hollow Shopping Center. Hours of operation are 5:00 AM - 10:00 PM, 7 days a week. They can be reached at 412-653-1638.

Pleasant Hills firefighters, Randy Porter, Doug Sacco and DJ Macek came by for the Dunkin Donuts trademark coffee

With a smile on their face, Samantha Gordon, of Baldwin, and Pat O'Neil, of Pleasant Hills kept the extremely busy drive-through running smoothly and quickly!

The Maksin family picked a variety of donuts to take home, (r-l) Amy, Mia, Nathan

Dunkin Donuts mascot gives a "thumbs up" with Foodland employee, Megan Lewis

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Prescription Center Plus "Going Green" on Different Levels Prescription Center Plus in South Park has recently completed the installation of 42 solar powered panels on their roof. Each of the 200 watt panels, designed by Solar Power Industries from Bell Vernon, will allow the pharmacy to help offset their electrical energy needs for years to come. Approximately 11% of pharmacy’s energy requirements will be able to be meet from this solar array – or about the power needed to supply the prescription area in the store. With the right application, today’s solar panels (known as photovoltaics) can generate cost-efficient energy for both homes and businesses. As sunlight hits the panels, their solar cells convert it into direct current (DC) electricity. An inverter then converts the DC power to alternating current (AC), which can be used throughout any standard electrical system. This solar array can be tied into the electric grid and set to generate as much or as little power as wanted. It eliminates the need for batteries, and allows the owner to sell any excess power it generates back to the utility. The entire project was undertaken by Ferry Electric of Pleasant Hills. This is the second green project to have been undertaken by Prescription Center Plus within the last several months. Earlier this summer, Prescription Center Plus was one of the first area pharmacies to participate in a program allowing any area resident to return their expired, outdated, and unwanted prescription medications to the pharmacy for proper disposal. No more flushing these drugs down the toilet to enter the water supply or throwing out with the garbage to breakdown in landfills. Please continue to support this program and our environment by continuing to returns these products to the pharmacy at any time.

Verizon Wireless Store Opens in South Park Another new business has opened at 4120 Brownsville Road in the renovated plaza that includes Oscar’s Grierson Auto Sales across from Ruby’s Dance Studio. We now have a locally owned and operated Verizon Wireless Premium Retailer serving our community. This store is owned and operated by Steve Garcia. Steve has experience as a Store Manager with Verizon Wireless in the North Hills, Uniontown, Washington and South Hills Village. Steve’s most recent position with Verizon Wireless was the Regional Manager of Consumer Data Applications for the Tri-State Area. When his department Steve Garcia was eliminated, Steve decided that after selling wireless Owner/Operator for 20 years, it made sense to open his own store. The Verizon Wireless, Cellular Connection is a full-service Premium Retailer South Park location that sells various simple phones and the most advanced Smartphones. The store has a wide assortment of accessories and mobile broadband air cards. New or existing Verizon Wireless customers upgrading their phones receive free phonebook transfers, no upgrade fees, and one-on-one instructions on how to use their new devices. All Smartphone customers get their devices set up in-store with custom tutorials on how to get the most out of their new devices. The store offers free Wi-Fi as well as a big screen TV with a leather sofa to make your shopping experience relaxing and enjoyable. Since they are a Premium Retailer, they can troubleshoot and instruct basic to advanced users. They offer loaner phones to use in the event your phone breaks, so you will not be without a phone until it is replaced. Store Hours are: Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM--9:00 PM, and Sunday: 11:00 AM--4:00 PM. Stop in for a visit today!

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Katie Seibert Wins Gold at AAU Junior Olympic Games Katie Seibert of South park won 2 Gold Medals at the AAU Junior Olympic Games at Virginia Beach. She was named the 2010 AAU Junior Olympic Champion and AAU National Champion in both advanced solo and advanced X-strut. This was an awesome end to her baton twirling competition season for 2010. The other titles Katie received this year are: Pennsylvania Strut Champion; Miss Majorette of the North Atlantic Royalty; AAU Advanced – Miss Tri-State Majorette; Top 10 – AYOP Open World Solo; Top 10 - AYOP Open World Strut and 1st Runner-up in All American Girl. Katie traveled to many competitions this year in Ohio, throughout Pennsylvania, Virginia and Notre Dame, Indiana. Katie studies dance at Ruby Daugherty and Sherry School of Dance where she participates in Baton, Jazz, Tap, Ballet, Toe Ballet , Solo Baton and Junior Dance Company. She is a member of the Senior Modernettes, who won the 2010 Senior National Show Twirl Championship at Notre Dame in July. Katie’s talented solo instructor is Sherry Vignoli-Parisi. Katie is the daughter of Gregg and Deanna Seibert; sister of Kendyl, the granddaughter of Cheryl Baumann of South Park and Bernadette Seibert of Finleyville; and the niece of Tom and Dianna Fisher of Peters Township. Her family wishes her continued success for the next competition season.

Publish your news for FREE! PRESS RELEASES, EVENTS, HAPPENINGS, ORGANIZATION NEWS OR BUSINESS NEWS.

Katie Seibert

Mail: Union-Finley Messenger, P.O. Box 103, Finleyville, PA 15332 Phone or Fax: • 412.249.8177 Email: news@unionfinley.com

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ASK the

THESE AREA SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE HERE TO ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS... If you have questions for our expert, send your questions to UNION FINLEY MESSENGER, P.O. Box 103, Finleyville, PA 15332 or e-mail news@unionfinley.com

EXPERTS AMBULATORY SURGERY Q: What's so special about baby teeth?

Q: What steps should I take if I am

It may be hard to believe, but your baby’s teeth are as important to him or her as your teeth are to you. Baby teeth, or to be more accurate, primary teeth, start developing in your baby’s mouth while you are still pregnant, and he is still kicking in the womb. They start erupting usually when your baby is between 5 and 12 months old, continue erupting until your baby is 2 1/2 years old, and don’t all fall out (exfoliate) until your baby is almost a teenager! They are very important in developing good eating habits Howard M. Elson, D.M.D. and speech development, and hold space for the permanent Southwestern Ambulatory teeth until they are ready to erupt. It is critical that your baby’s Surgery Center teeth be clean, healthy and decay free. Do NOT put your baby to sleep with a bottle containing anything but water…. No pop, juice, milk, tea or any naturally or artificially sweetened liquid. It will cover your baby’s teeth all night long, and can cause cavities and infections that can be painful, unsightly and affect the permanent teeth. Brush or wipe your baby’s teeth clean every day, AND, make sure your own teeth are healthy and clean. The bacteria that can cause cavities in YOUR teeth can be transmitted to your baby and cause cavities in her mouth. This is called Baby Bottle Syndrome (BBS) or Early Childhood Caries (ECC), and it is completely preventable IF you follow the above instructions. If you think your baby has BBS/ECC, the pediatric dentists at Southwestern Ambulatory Surgery Center (SWASC) can help. They are specially trained to treat your baby’s teeth safely, comprehensively, effectively and comfortably. Call Southwestern Ambulatory Surgery Center at 412-469-6964 for a referral to one of their pediatric dental specialists: Dr. Howard Elson, Dr. Deb Brandes, Dr. Michael LeDonne.

Howard Elson, D.M.D. 332 5th Avenue Suite 309 McKeesport, Pa. 15132 412-672-4077

Deborah A. Brandes, D.M.D. Southwestern Health Center 500 Lewis Run Road Suite 128 West Mifflin, Pa. 15122 412-469-9400

REAL ESTATE

Michael A. LeDonne, D.D.S. 545 E. Bruceton Road Pleasant Hills, Pa. 15236 412-655-3008

considering buying a home?

A: Before buying a home, you should take the time to check your finances. A little time spent shoring up your credit, crafting your budget and organizing financial documents will go far in smoothing the way to a home purchase. Work on your home buying project before you even start shopping for homes. Keep in mind that most buyers take eight weeks to actually shop for a home, according to a survey by the National Association of REALTORS ®. Your financial prep work should start well ahead of those eight weeks.

Jack Gallik Manager Peters Township Office Northwood Realty Service

A good first step would be to take advantage of the free credit reports everyone is entitled to see. Many web sites offer “free” credit reports, but there is a catch. They require you to sign up for a free trial of a credit-monitoring service that will cost money if you fail to cancel during the free trial period. The official site to obtain free, no-strings-attached credit reports annually from the Equifax, Experian and TransUnion credit bureaus is http://www.annualcreditreport.com/. You can receive one free credit report from each of these three agencies every year. Next, you will want to be pre-qualified. Most buyers will need to have a “pre-qualification” or “pre-approval” letter from a lender that indicates how much the buyer can afford to pay for a house. Although this does not guarantee that the buyer will eventually be approved for financing, it is helpful for a buyer to know what they can afford. Pre-qualification is when the lender looks at a buyer’s finances to see what kind of a mortgage they can afford. It is based on the documentation the buyer provides and it usually doesn’t cost anything.

NORTHWOOD REALTY SERVICES Peters Township Office Jack Benson, Vice President, 4215 Waterdam Commons, McMurray, PA 15317 (724) 941-3340

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ALZHEIMER’S ASSISTED LIVING Q: My friend’s dad is in an assisted living facility, she told me about a veteran’s program that helps with the cost of his care. Can you please tell me about the veterans program and who qualifies?

A: The program you are referring to is called Veteran’s Aid and Attendance. It is a pension benefit that is available for both the veteran and spouse of the veteran. There is an application to be filled out along with forms and paper work to be collected. It is a wonTerrie Eger derful benefit that helps off set the cost of numerous levels of Marketing Director healthcare options. At Arden Courts we pride ourselves in helping Arden Courts of Jefferson Hills our families apply for this benefit. Here are a few points to get you started: On Friday November 12th at 12’ o’clock,. Allan Smith from Congressman’s Doyle’s office will be presenting “Aid and Attendance: A Little Known Senior VA Benefit for Assisted Living” Who Is Eligible for the Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit? To receive the Aid & Attendance Special Pension Benefit for an assisted living facility, skilled nursing center, independent living or Housebound Special Pension Benefit, a veteran must have served on active duty, at least 90 days, at least one day of which occurred during a period designated as wartime. There must have been an honorable discharge. Single surviving spouses of such veterans are also eligible. Filing a Claim - Filing a claim for the Veterans Aid and Attendance Pension Benefit is time-consuming. Knowing which form to fill out and how to complete it is a complex process itself. There are numerous agencies out there to help. Assets – Exemptions-Transfers - There is an asset test to qualify for the Aid & Attendance Pension Benefit. Any asset or investment that could be easily converted into income might disqualify the claimant. An asset ceiling of $80,000 is often cited in the media as being the test. A primary residence, vehicles, and difficult-to-sell property are generally excluded from the asset test. VA will allow assets to be transferred or converted to income in order to meet the asset test. There is no look-back penalty for transferring assets as there is with Medicaid. Please call Arden Courts to reserve your seat for this event at 412-384-0300. 380 Wray Large Road, Jefferson Hills, PA 15025 (412) 384-0300 jeffersonhills@arden-courts.com

HEALTH & WELLNESS Q: I’m looking forward to downhill skiing this winter. What can I do to get in shape and stay safe on the slopes? A:

It is wise to prepare your body for moves that you probably haven’t experienced since last ski season. Take a jump class or circuit training class, ideally one that incorporates plyometric exercise Danielle Violette, MA, ATC to build power by repeatedly and rapidly stretching and contracting Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center your muscles. Incorporate a lot of core exercises into your workout, since maintaining good ski form requires strong stabilizing muscles. When you ski, focus on good form and technique. This helps your body better absorb forces when landing jumps and may help avoid ACL tears or other knee injuries resulting from quick changes of direction. As with all outdoor winter sports, be sure to stay hydrated – you can sweat plenty when bundled up. And listen to your body. If you’re feeling fatigued, your muscles are tired, too. This means your body won’t function as efficiently, increasing your chance of injury. Dr. Allan Tissenbaum will discuss common skiing injuries and prevention strategies at a free seminar, open to the community, on Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m. at Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center of The Washington Hospital. To register, call (724) 250-2824. Wilfred R. Cameron Wellness Center 240 Wellness Way Washington, PA 15301 724-250-5212 www.wrcameronwellness.org

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UNION-FINLEY MESSENGER Page 42 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– November 2010 Pet Guide www.unionfinley.com

PET GUIDE Four Ways Frugal Pet Owners Can Save (NewsUSA) - For many pet owners and their pets, money is no object. But expenses like food, grooming, routine vet care, toys and kenneling can add up quickly, making it difficult for budget conscious pet owners to afford their shaggy partners. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, the average annual cost of keeping a dog exceeds $1,200. For frugal pet owners who want to provide the best possible care to their furry friends while keeping costs low, here are four tips: • Stay on top of your dog's medical needs. Some owners may attempt to cut costs by visiting the veterinarian less often, but this may cost more in the long run. Routine check-ups can catch minor problems before they become major health issues. If check-ups or vaccinations are out of your budget, look out for clinics, where vets will vaccinate or spay and neuter pets at reduced costs. • Take care of your dog's mouth. Teeth cleanings at the vet are very costly and can be avoided completely if pet owners choose to take oral care into their own hands by brush-

ing their dogs' teeth. If a dog's teeth are healthy, oral care probiotics such as Teddy's Pride (www.myteddyspride.com) are a good substitution to brushing to offer fresh breath and whiter, cleaner teeth. Pet owners simply sprinkle the odorless, tasteless probiotics on their dog's food once a day. • Buy in bulk. Buying large amounts of pet food at once can help you save, not only on the food itself, but also on the gas needed to get to the store. Just be sure to purchase a high-quality dog food, as poor nutrition can negatively affect your dog's health. • Treat common ailments, yourself. You may want to talk to your vet to develop the best treatment plan for your specific pet for fleas, ticks and heartworms. This will also require a bit of research, but it will be much less expensive to order the treatment yourself than to consult a vet for each individual ailment. For more information, visit www.teddyspride.com.

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Sweeten the Kitty: Tips for Easier Traveling with Pets (NewsUSA) - You look forward to your vacation, but leaving your furry friends behind is more than you can handle. Consider trying the following tips before packing your pets' travel bags: • Plan ahead. Prepare to include your pets in the fun by making a list of the extra gear and supplies that you will need and any special reservations that you may require. • Have a practice round. If your pet is not used to car or plane travel, introduce him to the carrier prior to departure. • Travel green. Use biodegradable waste disposal bags when cleaning up after your pooch. If traveling with a cat, use a cat litter that offers odor control, clumping for easy clean-up and all-natural, flushable ingredients, such as World's Best Cat Litter (www.worldsbestcatlitter.com). • Keep moving. Make sure you make plenty of stops along the way and allow every member of your family to stretch his or her legs and breathe fresh air. Once at your destination, include your pet in hikes, walks on the beach or a visit to a local park. • Drink up. Make sure that your pet has access to clean water throughout your travels. A pet's body is comprised of 80 percent water-- proper hydration is key to good health at home and on the road. • Have fun. Enjoy this extra-special time with your pet. Include him or her in your vacation photo album. Visit a local dog park. It's likely that your pet will "introduce you" to new friends along the way.

Not Just a Dog Wash! Woody’s Dog Wash & Boutique Offers Trendy, Unique Gifts, Healthy Pet Foods When you enter Woody’s Dog Wash & Boutique the first thing you notice is how much stuff is packed into a little store! Upon further inspection you’ll find an incredible selection of hard to find, unique & practical items and the feeling that you just stepped into a Pet Age Magazine! The front of the store is a doggy haven filled with goodies of all kinds, toys, treats, food, leashes, collars and an abundance of hard to find specialty items! In the back of the store, separated from the front with backyard gates, you will find four super clean, waist high, self serve dog bathing tub areas complete with therapeutic massaging hoses, superior shampoos, grooming products, towels, dryers and clean, happy dogs! Conveniently located near “South Bark” Woody’s is one quarter mile from the South Park Dog Park. A great location coupled with inexpensive self serve baths, healthy treats and a dog friendly environment makes this a fun doggy destination. Woody’s also offers almost stressless

“Grooming by Chrissy” featuring their gentle grooming policy, (no cages, hand drying, dog hangs out with crew until owner arrives.) Woody’s was voted Winner of the 2010 Reader’s Choice Award for Best Grooming! Woody’s owner, Ann Cipriani, stays up to date with the latest in dog food, treats, apparel, collars, leashes, toys, supplements and much more! Attending pet industry trade shows and networking with pet retailers across the country ensures that Woody’s inventory is innovative and the best available in the pet specialty area. Woody’s is a one stop shop for healthy pet foods including Taste of the Wild, Orijen, Acana, Natural Balance, Nature’s Variety, Fromm, California Natural, Evo, Innova, Holistic Select, Artisan, Honest Kitchen and much more! Samples are available daily. Easy return policy and fair pricing! Cat foods are also available. Woody’s is also the first dog wash of its kind in the south hills and the first in the area to sell deer, moose and elk antlers.

These antlers can last for months and are loaded with calcium. They don’t stain, smell or splinter and will satisfy even the most aggressive chewers (saving your furniture legs!). Woody’s specializes in reflective safety products, personalized harness fittings and alternative health products for your dog. Supplements, aromatherapy, dental, ear and eye care products and holistic solutions. Woody’s advocates shelter adoptions. Receive a free self serve dog bath for any dog adopted from a shelter within the first 6 months of adoption and a free toy and goodie bag! Check out Woody’s Dog Wash & Boutique at www.woodysdogbath.com. Located near Daniel’s Discount and across from Nativity Church in the plaza next to Pape’s Flooring. 5843 Brownsville Road, South Park. Give us a call at 412-714-4644. OPEN 7 DAYS! Join our meetup group! See website for details! Woody’s also has a Facebook page!

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Animals Blessed at St. Francis Church By Paul Chasko History tells us that St. Francis of Assisi loved animals and often brought them food and cared for them. In fact he is known as the Patron Saint of animals. An unusual custom has grown out of St. Francis’s fondness for animals. Whenever a Bishop visits St. Francis Church in Finleyville (most always on the day of Confirmation) he is asked to bless the animals that are brought on the grounds of the Church. On October 3, Bishop Winters upheld this custom. The lawns next to St. Francis Finley Hall was crowded with big dogs, little dogs, short dogs, tall dogs, cats in cages, cats in arms, turtles, alpacas – I think I even saw a little girl with goldfish in a bowl. Bishop Winters blessed them all. I heard one of the dog owners ask the Bishop for really strong blessing as her dog really needed it – he’s always getting into trouble!

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Home & Garden Pleasant Hills Garden Club Celebrates Long Time Members

Seated (l-r): Norma Wright, Lois Parland, Becky Peterson, Dorothy Sinderson. Standing: Genevieve Stoops, Nancy Alderson, Marilyn Walk, Billie McCormick, and Ginger Paulson.

On October 11, 2010, the Pleasant Hills Garden Club had a Tea to celebrate members who have been with the club for 20 years and more. We are fortunate to have 10 members whose total tenure is 360 years! The club members were able to express their gratitude to these women by giving each a pin to commemorate the occasion. We want to thank each of these members, who have served the club so well in continuing the legacy of the club founded in 1940 and federated in 1955. They have faithfully carried out the goals of the Pleasant Hills Garden Club. The ten members are: Nancy Alderson Billie McCormick Lois Parland Ginger Paulson Becky Peterson Danna Reid Dorothy Sinderson Genevieve Stoops Marilyn Walk Norma Wright

1968 1980 1974 1988 1974 1976 1975 1970 1968 1967

42 years 30 years 36 years 22 years 36 years 34 years 35 years 40 years 42 years 43 years

News from the Valley Garden Club Valley Garden Club held their September meeting at Triple B Farms in Monongahela. Al Fine, beekeeper, presented a program on bees. Members conducted their business meeting and enjoyed pie prepared at the farm before going apple – picking. The raffle item was donated by Lola Heagy and won by Janice Yeaton. Flo Fagan contributed a fall floral arrangement. In other club events, several members attended the Annual Meeting of the Garden Club of Pennsylvania’s District X, of which VGC is a member. The meeting was held at the Willow Room in Belle Vernon September 27. New directors were installed for two-year terms: Mary Jane Martucci of Charleroi Garden Club was named District X Director; Janet Knight of Great Meadows Garden Club, Assistant Director; Alice Harris of Mon Valley Garden Club, Secretary; and Jeffrey Ciferno of Charleroi Garden Club, Treasurer. VGC members Pam Gregor, Margaret Ziolkowski and Janice Yeaton were presented with Laurel Awards for their work on the Club’s Flower Show, held in July at the Rostraver Library. Daffodil Awards went to Sally Woods, Eileen Willey and Lola Heagy. President Janice Yeaton collected $82 for Water for Haiti as the District’s Natural Disaster Chairman. In addition, Valley Garden Club received second place for Best Garden Club in District X. This is the second time the Club has achieved this distinction. For more information on Valley Garden Club, contact Pam Gregor at 724-930-7151.

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Kirk Salopek Richard Benedict Kelly Rodgers Kopchinsky Peter Arnoldt II Daniel Hasley Larry Carlock et al. Patti Jon Christensen Goff FORWARD TOWNSHIP Estate of Carrie Mae Holliday Stanley Odoski Jr. Douglas Pascoe Samuel Miller CLAIRTON James Klapka IB Property Holdings LLC Wachovia Equity Servicing LLC Estate of Josephine Zumbo Emmanuel Ilagan Alice Ann Hronakes Sandra Kosko Carroll Pontiac Inc. Kimberly Nikolic Linda Sexauer Janet Cooper SOUTH PARK Rachelle Spector Joseph Spagnolo David Domzalski Yvonne Wehrer Buncher Family Foundation John Mills Debra Groff et al. Jeffrey Santoro Steven Antoinette Mary Ann Klimezek Ann Marie Croner Bacon Maryann Wyse

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Recent Local Real Estate Transactions Seller SOUTH PARK (Continued) James Artman E. Gerry Dudley Stacy Serenari Joseph Falletta William Wood II Prudential Relocation Inc. Donna Duncan PLEASANT HILLS Walter McKenzie R. Thomas Carter John Mooney Jr. Raymond Larson JEFFERSON HILLS Donna Sajna aka Geletko NVR Inc. Estate of Lois Hanna Estate of Stephen Thomas Patternac Bart Keck Southersby Development Corp. NVR Inc. William Cutlip PNC Mortgage Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. Southersby Development Corp. Ruth Schumann Estate of Emma Withers Jeffrey Fenton Andrew Pearson III Amy Lynn Pistininzi Lawrence Corr et al. NOTTINGHAM TOWNSHIP Estate of Victor Dosse Jay Armburger RAC Closing Services LLC Bruce Barritt PETERS TOWNSHIP David Gilbert Robert Quarture David Ploskina Jr. Cartus Financial Corp. Garry Human Gerard Vesely Michael Bisignani Roberta Williams Brian Essary Heartland Homes Inc. Chris Severa NVR Inc. NVR Inc. S. Lewis

Buyer

Address

Price

John and Heather D'Agostino William and Joanne Whitmer Jeffrey Lentz HSBC Bank USA NA trustee Prudential Relocation Inc. Kevin Reddy Lori Snyder

1549 Annette Ave. 1450 Greenbriar Court 800 Hidden Ridge Court 303 1008 Maripat Drive 6823 Ridgevue Drive 6823 Ridgevue Drive 4125 Wrescom Street

$165,000 $180,000 $105,000 $2,995 by sheriff's deed. $166,000 $166,000 $58,000

Adam Anderson Christopher Eger Kirk and Sarah Salopek Nicole Losteter and Benjamin Cantley

177 Sunrise Drive 357 Old Clairton Road 318 McClellan Drive 623 Arbor Lane

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. Donald Serratta Jr. Federal National Mortgage Assn. Lonnell and Tammy Becoate Chris Keck NVR Inc. James Smoyer II and Jackie Smoyer Aaron and Jeri Spang Brian Ritter David Coker NVR Inc. Louis and Lisa Pavlack John and Gail Withers Lynn Mack Andrew and Charlene Pearson Joel and Shelby Welch William Kress

514 Coal Valley Road $2,960 by sheriff's deed. 6051 Independence Drive $257,975 245 Old Clairton Road $1,557 by sheriff's deed. 203 Aber Drive $260,000 3033 Hogback Road $108,000 Independence Drive $43,000 6036 Independence Drive $280,550 4031 Rustic Woods Drive $355,000 3035 Scenic Court $255,000 148 Hollywood Drive $65,000 Independence Drive $43,000 110 Roberts Drive $134,000 1301 Walnut St. $40,000 168 Gill Hall Road $9,500 Pearson Road $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $21,112). 2013 Whitfield Lane $121,134 2024 Whitfield Lane $220,000

Gerard and Jenice Vesely RAC Closing Services LLC Brent and Shelby Samson Victor Dosse Estate

Dyers Stone Drive 264 Arrowhead Lane 264 Arrowhead Lane Arrowhead Lane

$60,000 $320,500 $320,500 $100,000

Stephen Maiolo Edward Federouch Jr. Cartus Financial Corp. Timothy and Kimberly Costello Robert Lewis II and Joan Lewis William and Gloria Lehner Dana and Carrie Ace Kimberly Chermak Lee and Cynthia Guthrie Jason and Jaime Marvin John and Melissa DeChicchis James and Shirley Thompson Colin and Carolyn Fink David and Karen Come

117 Brooke Drive 202 Buckeye St. 103 Country Corners 103 Country Corners 207 Farmington Drive 105 Farmview Place 104 Golden Eagle Drive 102 Grouse Court 106 Lantern Circle 414 Longleaf Drive 105 Orchard Hilands Drive 211 Overlook Drive 313 Sutherland Drive Thompsonville Road

$133,000 $550,000 $425,000 $425,000 $490,000 $350,000 $520,000 $136,500 $547,500 $406,847 $300,000 $556,175 $319,800 $1,500

$40,000 $138,500 $174,500 $120,000

A Home is the smartest investment you’ll ever make!

Office: 724-222-4225, x14 • Cell: 724-747-6051 E-mail: djwilliams@coldwellbanker.com www.coldwellbanker.com

Donna Williams

Whether your looking to buy or sell, my phone is always on!

Real Estate Professional

MLS multiple listing service

HOME & GARDEN

www.unionfinley.com SM

Recent Local Real Estate Transactions Seller

Buyer

PETERS TOWNSHIP (Continued) Amy Sill Robert Stipetich Benjamin Marcus Homes LLC Algustus Lee Jr. Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. Mark Fornear Todd Neely Great Meadows L.P. Meadowlands Assoc. Estate of Clark Fullick Eddy Land Co. Heartland Homes Inc. Paul DiBiccari Timothy Gerwing Williamson & Jefferson Inc. Heartland Homes Inc. Ernest Lengyel

Kara Stimmel and Christopher Short Bing Yu and Daihua Xie Yu James Bryja Daniel Chen and Shuping Lui Habibolah Talebi Christy Powell Patricia Robinson NVR Inc. Jeffrey Ferri Pittsburgh Restoration Group LLC Robert and Karen Krohner Deborah Sullivan and Timo Limburg Matthew and Marisa Rusinko American Home Bank NA Heartland Homes Inc. John Guna Jr. and Holly Guna Anthony and Christine Konopka

Don Frankenberry Ida McAfee trustee Linda Taylor Robert Kuech Maura Allard

Raymond and Laurie Higgins Lydia Hritz Leech & Henry Construction Inc. Violetta Ohmer Seth Spill

James Smoke Wadwell Group Penny Ann Thomas et al. Estate of Donald Ligman Lynn Goodwin et al. Cheryl Ann Brown

James and Linda McCall NVR Inc. John and Laurie Rudzinski Kenneth and Marlene Creech Michael and Kathleen Buczkowski St. Clair Memorial Hospital

Address

Price

330 Venetia Road $185,000 121 Woodside Drive $299,000 306 Buckingham Drive $713,278 241 E. Edgewood Drive $772,500 101 Lexington Drive $275,000 1025 Old Washington Road $280,000 116 S. Heide Lane $230,000 Scenic Ridge Drive $156,000 112 Braun Drive $195,700 102 Clearview Drive $102,500 302 Crossbow Court $435,000 116 Driftwood Drive $356,653 115 E. Highland Ave. $224,500 545 Justabout Road $1,919 by sheriff's deed. Longleaf Drive $117,500 418 Longleaf Drive $431,770 945 McMurray Road E Rear $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $13,810). 624 Robinhood Lane $245,500 138 Roscommon Place $169,900 Sagewood Drive $135,000 108 Southview Court $134,500 144 Brookdale Circle $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $48,595). 178 Delaware Trail $328,000 Iron Run Road $91,325 194 Maple Lane $160,000 110 Meadow Brook Circle $265,000 148 Orchard Drive $150,000 121 Santoni Place $318,250

Real Estate Transactions provided by <RealSTATs>. Contact <RealSTATs> at 412-381-3880 or visit www.RealSTATs.net.

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Publish your news for FREE! PRESS RELEASES, EVENTS, HAPPENINGS, ORGANIZATION NEWS OR BUSINESS NEWS. Mail: Union-Finley Messenger, P.O. Box 103, Finleyvil e, PA 15332 Phone or Fax: • 412.249.8177 • Email: news@unionfinley.com

CLEANING CAN MAKE YOUR HOUSE DIRTY (NAPSI)-When it comes to eliminating those uninvited guests called dirt and lingering germs, it may be a good idea to stop before you mop. Unbeknownst to many, some traditional cleaning methods are actually spreading germs rather than killing them. It's important to assess if old approaches to cleaning are the most effective and even more importantly, the safest. Before bringing out the traditional mops, seemingly harmless sponges and die-hard dust rags, you may care to consider whether they'll make your house dirty. Unsuspected bacteria and germs can live and thrive in surprising places. Some startling statistics to review before you start your cleaning include: • Problem: The sponge with which you clean your dishes and countertops contains more germs than the toilet bowl. • Solution: Replace old sponges at least once a week and add them to your daily load of laundry to ensure cleanliness. • Problem: Your refrigerator, the place where you store the food you later eat, is riddled with hidden bacteria and germs. • Solution: Get rid of old, spoiled food and wipe down all shelves, drawers and bins with sanitizing wipes.

• Problem: The kitchen sink is one of the most germ-ridden areas in the entire home. • Solution: Steam clean the entire kitchen sink and counter including the tiny, scum-loving crevices around handles and faucets with a HAAN HS-20 handheld, Deluxe Personal Sanitizing Steam Cleaner with the concentrator nozzle. • Problem: Clothes, drapes and linens stored in a damp attic or basement are breeding grounds for bacteria. • Solution: Refresh and sanitize using the HAAN GS-60 Steam Station to kill up to 99.9 percent of household germs and leave linens smelling fresh. • Problem: Bacteria and germs hiding in carpet fibers are not killed by vacuuming alone. • Solution: Sanitize your carpets. You can do so using the new HAAN Duo with a dual-purpose sweeper and steamer, great for cleaning and sanitizing both carpets and hard surfaces. For a fresh look at cleaning tips visit www.haanusa.com.

Save time while spring cleaning by using a combined sweeper and steamer. The sweeper function picks up large debris as well as fine dust and hair while the steamer cleans and sanitizes.

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HOME & GARDEN www.unionfinley.com

The Holiday Season Starts at Trax Farms! Holiday Tea at Trax Farms Come join is Saturday, November 13 at 11:00am for a relaxing Holiday Tea at Trax Farms. Try our finger sandwiches, tea breads with flavored cream cheese, scones, Devonshire cream, fruits, desserts and many varieties of flavored teas. There will be a Holiday Basket raffled! Come early or stay after the tea to browse our beautiful holiday displays. Call 412-835-3246 and make your reservations early! (Additional sitting may be added at 2:00 pm.)

Black Friday Blowout Sale Don’t miss the Trax Farms “Black Friday Blowout Sale” on Friday, November 26. Sale hours are 7:00 am to 11:00 am. Enjoy 35% off the ENTIRE STORE! (Some exceptions apply, see store for details.) Store is open until 8:00pm on Black Friday

Breakfast or Lunch with Santa Santa Claus is coming to Trax Farms! And on November 28 (lunch only) or December 4, 5, 11 & 12 Trax Farms will be hosting breakfast or lunch with Santa. Breakfast starts at 9:30 a.m. and lunch starts at 1:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at our Customer Service desk starting November 1, cost is $8.00. Make your reservations in advance. Each child will get to visit Santa. The event will include breakfast or lunch, making a Christmas craft, and taking home a special treat.

Gift Card Giveaway At Trax Farms –Spend in November and Save in December!! With our beautiful fall and Christmas displays it is hard not to find treasures that you want, for gift giving or for yourself!! In November if you spend $100 you will receive a $10 gift card to be used anytime between December 1-24, 2010 for all of that last minute shopping. Our Gift Card Giveaway is one way for us to say THANK YOU for being a loyal customer and to encourage you to come back.

Indoor NOVEMBER Flea Markets Trax Farms will hold Indoor November Flea Markets in our Events Room. The Flea Markets will run the weekends of November 6 - 7 and 20 - 21, starting at 10:00 AM. Vendors will be selling antiques, gifts, collectibles, clothing, apparel, hobbies, food and much more. Whether you’re just browsing or ready to buy, there is something for everyone!! Free parking and free admission.

Trax Farms A “Light Up Night” To Remember!!!! Trax Farms invites you to help us kick off the Christmas season at our Light Up Night on Saturday, November 27, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Santa and his elves arrive at 5:30. Help us light our huge tree! Then stop at the Kids Corner to visit with Santa and for other Christmas activities; make a craft, color a picture for our coloring contest , guess the candy canes and more… Browse our beautiful Christmas displays, try samples throughout the store, and enjoy special offers and discounts on this night only! Refreshments will be available for purchase in the Garden Café. Make Trax Farms your Christmas Family Tradition!

Thanksgiving Family Tradition at Trax Farms At Trax Farms “giving thanks” for a plentiful harvest is part of a longstanding tradition. Throughout our market there are plenty of grocery, produce, deli, bakery, wine and gift shop items available to make Thanksgiving at your house a special family celebration. Try our farm fresh turkeys (and turkey breasts), raised on corn, oats and wheat; never any additives. Side dishes such as cranberry/orange relish, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, yam and apple casserole, mashed potatoes, and stuffingjust to name a few of the items available from our deli at this time of the year. Our bakery has pumpkin, pecan, cranberry apple and other assorted pies, cloverleaf and knot dinner rolls, cornbread, cookies and many other delicious treats! Place your orders early for the holiday!! Trax Farms is located in the South Hills on Rt. 88 between South Park & Finleyville. 412-835-3246 www.traxfarms.com November Store Hours: Nov 1-21 9am-6pm / Nov 22-30 daily 9am-8pm / Sunday 9-6 Nov 25 CLOSED for Thanksgiving / Nov 26 BLACK FRIDAY BLOWOUT 7am-11-am store closes at 8pm. December Store Hours: Dec 1-23 daily 9am-8pm / Sunday 9am6pm / Dec 24 9am-4pm Dec 25 CLOSED / Dec 26 8am-6pm / Dec 27 10am-6pm / Dec 31 10am-4pm

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Let's Talk Real Estate by ROGER DOLANCH Broker/Owner

Why a Home Warranty?

he last thing a new home buyer wants to worry about after closing is a costly repair bill. This is especially true for a first time homebuyer who has never experienced the responsibility of maintaining a home before. A Home Warranty is a renewable service contract that covers the repair or possible replacement of a home’s mechanical system components and covered appliances that break down because of normal wear and tear. The majority of items covered by the home warranty are not usually covered by homeowners insurance. It can be purchased by the Seller, the Buyer, or even a third party (maybe a parent?). Typically however, it is the

Seller that agrees to pay the fee for the Buyer’s first year coverage because it is in their best interests to do so. Why? Well, just imagine you want to buy a car. There are two practically identical vehicles available at very similar asking prices. One is through a dealership that offers a 30 day limited warranty and the other is through an individual owner with no warranty whatsoever. Which car would you decide to purchase? More than likely the one covered by the warranty because it makes you feel more secure about the purchase. When a seller offers a home warranty it offers a competitive advantage over other listings in the area that are not offering a home warranty. It also reduces after sale liability to the seller if something breaks. Another important little known fact is the Seller may choose to pay a little extra at closing to enjoy coverage for the house while it is marketed for sale. Even if the Seller does not offer a Home Warranty, almost all offers they receive will contain the contingency that they agree to pay for one year of coverage for the Buyer. Either way, the Home Warranty is not paid for until closing. Price’s average between $400 to $500 range, depending on the program elected. It may cost more if the house is over 5,000 square feet or could be less if the property is a condo or townhouse. A little known fact is that most warranty companies also offer a 4 year program for new construction purchases. Normally covered items include the furnace, air conditioning, ductwork, plumbing, plumbing stoppages, water heaters, electrical systems, exhaust, vent and attic fans, dishwashers, garbage disposals, ranges, ovens or cook tops, trash compactors and possibly a whirlpool motor

and pump. Additional coverage may be purchased for refrigerators, washers, dryers, water softeners, well pumps and septic systems. To report a claim, the owner places a call to the home warranty company. The home warranty company contacts a service provider they have a business arrangement with. The service provider calls the owner and makes an appointment. The service provider fixes the problem or, if it cannot be fixed, may recommend to the home warranty company that the item be replaced. The owner pays the service provider a minimal service fee for each claim. It is important to be aware that a claim may be denied because of improper maintenance, a pre-existing condition, improper installation or code violations. Overall, Home Warranties offer peace of mind to all parties involved in a real estate transaction. The great news is that Home Warranties are renewable for a fee annually. For further information, feel free to contact any of our CENTURY 21 Frontier Realty sales professionals today!

Finleyville 724-348-7470 Belle Vernon 724-929-2180 McMurray 724-941-8680

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Automotive Don't Let A Recall Steer You In The Wrong Direction (NAPSI)-Despite the recent press about vehicle recalls, there is some good news. With a little bit of homework, you can put yourself on the road to safety and satisfaction. Vehicle recalls have become increasingly common. In 2008 alone, hundreds of recalls were issued, affecting more than 10 million vehicles. Vehicles with open recalls are bought and sold every day-some with recalls change hands multiple times. Estimates are that nearly a third of all recalled vehicles go unfixed by their owners. All the more reason for car buyers to be careful.

Recalls may be mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or voluntarily issued by auto manufacturers to help prevent safety failures.

FORTUNATELY, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE AT A DISADVANTAGE WHEN BUYING A USED CAR. HERE ARE SOME TIPS: • Remember that "recall" is not necessarily a bad word. Recalls may be mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or voluntarily issued by auto manufacturers to help prevent safety failures.

• With the exception of those involving tires, recalls are in effect for the lifetime of a vehicle. Under federal law, recalls must be remedied at no cost to consumers. Open recalls will only be repaired for free by authorized dealers--those that sell and service your particular vehicle make. • Check for open recalls when you shop for a used car. If one exists, make an appointment to have it taken care of as soon as possible. • Recall information is reported to Carfax and can appear in Carfax Vehicle History Reports. A free Recall Check also is available at www.carfax.com. This free resource helps car buyers instantly identify an open recall on a vehicle they are thinking of buying. Carfax Vehicle History Reports are available for used cars and light trucks manufactured since 1981. Using the unique 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN), a Carfax Report is instantly generated from a database of over 7 billion records reported by 34,000 sources. For more information about open recalls and other used car buying tips, www.carfax.com.

Don’t Be Left Out of Our UnionFinley Messenger Automobile Section. For Editorial or Advertising Opportunities, call (412) 249-8177

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Bishop Winters Confirms 18 Young Men and Women First Confirmation in the New St. Francis of Assisi Church

By Paul Chasko Bishop Winters of the Pittsburgh Diocese confirmed 18 young men and women in St. Francis Church on Sunday, October 3. The church was filled with sponsors and wellwishers and parishioners interested in being part of the occasion. Catholic Confirmation is a Sacrament that binds recipients more closely to the Church through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Rite involves the laying on of hands and anointing the recipient with Holy Chrism (an aromatic oil) both done by the Bishop. The following young men and women received Confirmation: Jillian Bartman; Tiffany Behanna; Cassidy Ginsburg; Michael Hazel; Jacob Henson; Bryce Imhoff; Heather Matthews; Megan Parker; Phillip Pisarcik; Gary Schultz; Roman Selby; Camille Simone; Alex Stumpf; Luc Tilley; Emily Tomosky; Nicholas Trocano; Aaron Turkovich; Jordon Zelinsky

Tap into the power of the Messenger. Call today to learn more. 412.249.8177

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Area Church News Christmas Affair at John McMillan Presbyterian

Upcoming Events at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church

The John McMillan Presbyterian Church will be hosting its annual Christmas Affair on Saturday, November 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This event includes over 55 crafters and features the JMPC Bakery, Gingerbread House, Chinese auction, Kris Kringle Kafe, and an Angel Emporium Tree. Admission is free and all proceeds benefit local and world-wide missions. Don’t miss the Christmas Affair at John McMillan Presbyterian Church, 875 Clifton Road, Bethel Park on Saturday, November 6. For more information, call 412-833-4704.

St Peter’s Episcopal Church in Brentwood’s Fall Festival and Craft Show has been postponed. We will have an event on December 4, including Bake Sale, Chinese Auction, and Light Lunch. Space will be available for crafters. More details to follow. Election Day Pasta Dinner will be held on Tuesday, November 2, from 4:30 - 7 p.m. Adults: $7.50, Seniors (55+): $7.00, Children (12 & under) $4.00. Take-out is available. Veterans and their families are invited to attend the 11th annual Veterans Luncheon. This free event, featuring a hot buffet lunch, speaker, and more, will be held on Sunday, November 7 at 12 p.m. Donations of care package items for troops currently serving overseas will be accepted at the luncheon. Call for reservations. St Peter’s Episcopal Church is located at 4048 Brownsville Road, overlooking Brentwood Towne Center, near Rt. 51. For more information, call the church at 412884-5225 or visit our website at www.stpetersbrentwood.org.

Spaghetti Dinner at Grace Lutheran Church Grace Lutheran Church of South Park Twp. will hold their 31st Annual All-YouCan-Eat Spaghetti Dinner on Sunday, November 14 from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Broughton Fire Hall, 1030 Cochrans Mill Rd., South Park Twp. Dinner includes a salad bar, dessert & beverage. A mini-bazaar and bake sale is also included at the event. Tickets are $8.00 for adults, $4.00 for children 5-12, 4 and under are free. Tickets can be bought at the door; take-out available.

Veteran’s Day Spaghetti Meal Served at Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church, 9th and Meadow Ave., Charleroi Borough, will host a Veteran’s Day spaghetti meal served on Thursday, November 11 with lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and dinner from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. The lunch/dinner will feature homemade sauces, and a veterans discount. Eat-in or take-out all day by calling 724-489-0500.

Christmas is Coming and so is Hamilton’s Craft and Vendor Fair Mark your calendar for December 5 to attend the Hamilton Presbyterian Church Craft and Vendor Fair. There will be handcrafted treasures and well-loved direct-sales merchandise, jewelry, candles, purses, and skin care items. Some of the vendors will be Party-Lite, Pampered Chef and Tupperware. Hamilton Presbyterian Church is located in Bethel Park at the corner of Baptist and Hamilton Road. Join us from Noon until 4 p.m. Food will also be available. For more information, call the church office at 412884-2722.

Election Day Spaghetti Dinner at Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church Mingo Creek Presbyterian Church, 561 Mingo Church Rd., Finleyville, will hold an Election Day Spaghetti Dinner on November 2 from Noon - 7:00 p.m. Adults: $7.00, Children: $4.00. Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, fresh Italian bread, dessert and beverage. Take out available. Call 724-3485278.

News From Crossroads Ministries “The Gospel According to Scrooge” Christmas Dinner Theater Tickets will go on sale November 14 for the Christmas Dinner Theater at Crossroads Ministries. This year’s holiday event will be held on Thursday through Sunday, December 9, 10, 11, and 12. A wonderful meal by Sisters Custom Catering will be served at 6:15 p.m. nightly in the church gymnasium that will be transformed into a beautiful dining hall. Afterwards, the presentation of “The Gospel According to Scrooge” will begin in the church’s auditorium. This Broadway style musical is an adaptation of the play “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. It tells the story of the tight-fisted curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge, and his personal

transformation as he is supernaturally confronted by three angels with the haunting truth of his wounded past, his spiritually impoverished present and his woeful future. The play consists of music, dancing and drama and is one that will appeal to all ages. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 8 and under and are available at the church after the worship services. You can also order your tickets by mail by sending a note with your phone number, how many adult / children’s tickets you need; date of the presentation; along with your check and a self addressed, stamped envelope to Crossroads Ministries Dinner Theater; 81 Walter Long RD; Finleyville PA 15332 by Tuesday, November 30. Crossroads Ministries is located one mile south of Trax Farms overlooking Route 88. For further information, please call 724348-1620 or visit our website at www.crossroadsministries.com. • FALLAPALOOZA – November 19-20 FALLAPALOOZA for Junior & Senior High Students will be held November 19 – 20. Cost is $35. Straight Street and JAMS are sponsoring an all-night activity for 6th-12th grade students in the community. Doors open at 9:00 p.m. and we will return the next morning at 7:00 a.m. We will be heading by bus to the Ice-O-plex at South Pointe and then to the Sportsworks facility down by Heinz Field, where students can participate in a variety of athletic and fun challenges. Dinner will also be served at this event. FALLAPALOOZA is well staffed and chaperoned with adults from Crossroads Ministries of Finleyville PA. For more information, parents with 6th8th grade students can call Pastor Al Finney at 724-348-1620 ext. 110; parents with 9th12th grade students can call Pastor Josh Watts at 724-348-1620 ext. 111.

Fall Bazaar to be Held at First United Methodist Church The First United Methodist Church of Monongahela will be having its Fall Bazaar on November 6 from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. We will have crafts, books, toys and white elephant items. Please come and join us for a ham dinner from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Cost is $7 adults, $5 youth (5-12).

“Operation Christmas Child” at Peters Creek Baptist Church Peters Creek Baptist Church in South Park will hold “Operation Christmas Child” shoe box collections will be November 7, 10, 14 and 17 at Peters Creek Baptist

Church in South Park and at the November 11th MOPS meeting. Samaritan’s Purse is a Christian relief and evangelism organization led by Franklin Graham. For information on the types of items to pack, log on to www.samaritanspurse.org. Any questions, please call Jill Schar at 724-263-8790. For more information, call the church office at 412-833-6111 or visit the website at www.peterscreekbaptist.com.

November Events at The First Presbyterian Church of Finleyville The Gleaner are hosting a Tea on Saturday, November 6 at 1:00 p.m. Tickets are $10.00. Please call the church office for more information and tickets. “Dinner and A Book” will be held on Friday, November 12 at 6:00 p.m. Please bring a covered dish to share. This month’s book is “Midnight Clear” by Jerry B. Jenkins. Come join us for great conversation and delicious food. For more information on these and other church programs, please see our website, at www.firstpresbyterian.us or call the church office at 724-348-5689. Worship is every Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m.

Elizabeth Baptist Church Upcoming Events The Elizabeth Baptist Church is having an indoor flea market at 735 Bunola River Road in Elizabeth on Saturday, November 6, from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. A large variety of “treasures” will be for sale including electronics, decor, jewelry, kitchen, domestics, etc. The accompanying bake sale will include many homemade goodies including cakes, pies, fudge, various kinds of cookies and breads. Food available will include stuffed cabbage, haluski and kielbasa as well as American fare and homemade soups, eat in or take out. Outdoor table space will be available for a cost of $10 per table (bring you own table). Any inquiries may be made at 412384-6464. Elizabeth Baptist Church 29th Annual Christmas Carol Festival will be held on Sunday, December 5 beginning at 7 p.m. This a favorite event in the community; several area choirs and soloists as well as pastors will be the participants in this music festival. A free will love offering will be received to benefit the Elizabeth Boro Clergy Food Bank. Cookies and punch will be served after the service. The public is cordially invited. More Church News On Following Page

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Area Church News Annual Rummage Sale at Presbyterian Women in Westminster Church

Hillcrest Christian Academy’s 7th Annual Joy of Christmas Craft Show

Presbyterian Women in Westminster Church, 2040 Washington Rd., Pittsburgh, will hold their Annual Fall Rummage Sale on Saturday, November 13 from 8:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. in the Recreation Center and Fellowship Hall. The “bag sale” and halfprice sale starts at 12:30. There will be a boutique for better items. Collection day is Friday, November 12 from 8:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Please donate only clean and usable items. Magazines, textbooks, large pieces of furniture and broken or unworkable items will not be accepted. All proceeds benefit Mission Projects. For further information, call Marilyn Hayes at 412-831-5704.

Hillcrest Christian Academy’s 7th Annual Joy of Christmas Craft Show will be held Saturday, November 20 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at South Hills Assembly Church, 2725 Bethel Church Rd., Bethel Park. 50-60 crafters including blown glass, paintings, ceramics, jewelry, knittings,wreaths/gift baskets, wood and metal crafts. Bake sale and hot lunch cafe as well. Contact the school for more information at 412-854-4040 hcachristmascraftshow@gmail.com.

Christmas Craft Fair at St. Valentine Church St. Valentine Church, 2710 Ohio St., Bethel Park, will hold a Christmas Craft Fair on November 13 from 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.

The Joy of Christmas Craft Show at St. Louise DeMarillac St. Louise DeMarillac School and ParishCenter, 320 McMurray Rd., Upper St. Clair, will hold a Joy of Christmas Craft Show on Saturday, November 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission and one ticket for Chinese auction is $2.00. Over 100 crafters, homemade baked goods, Chinese auction, candy, and lunch available. Sponsored by the DeMarillac Guild. For more information, call 412-833-1010 or visit www.stlouisedemarillac.org.

Holiday Craft Fair at Presbyterian Church in McMurray Presbyterian Women of Center Presbyterian Church in McMurray will be sponsoring a Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday, November 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Twenty-six vendors and crafters will have holiday items, jewelry, wood art, cosmetics, Christmas ornaments, decorations, and much more. The church is located at 255 Center Church Road in McMurray and admission is free.

Annual English Tea at St. Pauls’ Anglican Church St. Pauls’ Anglican Church, 130 W. Main St., Monongahela will hold their Annual English Tea on Saturday, November 6 from 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. Adults $7.00; children $3.50. Dinner includes ham, potatoes, applesauce, green or baked beans, desserts and beverage. Eat in or take out. Call 724258-7792.

Veterans Day Spaghetti Dinner at Holy Ghost Byzantine Church Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church, 9th and Meadow Ave., Charleroi Borough, will host a Veterans Day spaghetti meal served on Thursday, November 11 with lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and dinner from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. The lunch/dinner will feature homemade sauces, and $2 discount for veterans. Eat-in or take-out all day by calling 724-489-0500.

November Events at South Hills Assembly of God Church South Hills Assembly of God Church, 2725 Bethel Church Road, Bethel Park plans the following events for November. For more information call 412-835-8900 or visit www.southhillsassembly.org. Compassion Connection is again collecting new toys for their annual Toy Treasures program to bless children of area needy families. Toys may be dropped off in the lobby of the church or Hillcrest Christian Academy, as well as various locations around the area. A pseudo store will be set up December 11 where parents can “shop” for presents for their children at 10% of the item’s retail value. Cash contributions are also accepted and will be used to purchase toys to supplement those donated. Call the church to register for the program.

Angel Food Ministries offers low-cost quality food on a monthly basis with no income qualifications. Healthy menu and allergen-free options are available! Orders accepted through November 7 and distribution will be from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. on November 20 at Hillcrest Christian Academy, 2500 Bethel Church Road. Online orders accepted using debit or credit card at www.angelfoodministries.com. Hillcrest Christian Academy will present their annual Veteran’s Day Program, United We Pray, at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 11, in the sanctuary of South Hills Assembly. Our children will celebrate those who have served our country in its endless preservation of American freedom. An Evening of Praise will be presented by the children’s choirs at 6:00 p.m. Sunday, November 14. The mini musical “The Colors of His Love” will be performed by K5th grades and “Welcome to Saddle Ridge Ranch” will be performed by the 3-5 year olds. Alone on Thanksgiving Day? There’s no need to be. Join us from Noon-2 p.m. Thursday, November 25 and enjoy a delicious traditional Thanksgiving Dinner for free! Seating is limited so registration is a must. Call early to register. You will surely be blessed.

Jefferson United Methodist Church Bake Sale Jefferson United Methodist Church, 310 Gill Hall Rd., is now taking Christmas roll phone orders at 412 653-3222, Option 3. Nut and apricot rolls are $8.00; poppyseed rolls are $8.50. Order deadline is Sunday, December 5 with pickup date at the church on Saturday, December 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. There will be a Christmas Bake Sale on Saturday, December 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Nut rolls, apricot rolls, poppyseed rolls, cookie trays, pies, cakes, and candy.

SEND US YOUR CHURCH NEWS! Email: news@unionfinley.com

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Healthy Directions Announces November Programs and Events

Valley Health and Safety Training Center Upcoming Classes

Monongahela Valley Hospital's Healthy Directions health education and resource center at 6116 Brownsville Road Extension, Suite 107 Finleyville will celebrate the following national health events in November:

Valley Health and Safety Training Center will be holding the following courses throughout the month of November: Monessen Ambulance Service, 1001 Donner Avenue, Monessen (participants must pre-register and pre-pay) • Healthcare Provider course - Saturday, November 13. Cost $50. Class will start at 9 a.m. and finish around 1:00 p.m. Intended for Nursing students, pre-hospital personnel, hospital personnel, doctors. • Heartsaver CPR/First Aid course - Saturday, November 20. Cost $50. Class will start and 9:00 a.m. and finish around 1:30 p.m. Intended for the lay person, persons who work in personnel care homes or schools. Monongahela Valley Hospital - Lombardi Education Center Heartsaver CPR Adult/Child course - Tuesday, November 30. Cost $30. Class will start at 6:00 p.m. and finish around 9:00 p.m. The class is intended for lay persons, personnel care home employees, teachers and anyone wanting a basic understanding of CPR. Also scheduled is a Hazmat Technician class to be held at the Donner Avenue location. This is a 32 hour course and will be held over 2 weekends, November 6 & 7 and 13 & 14, from 8:30 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. Pre-registration is a must. There is a $25.00 registration fee to cover expenses. For a complete list of classes till the end of December call the training center at 724-6849536 and a brochure will be mailed out to you.

• Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month November 2010 marks the 27th anniversary of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, which was first proclaimed in 1983 by former President Ronald Reagan, nearly 20 years before he died of the disease. It is estimated that there are as many as 5.3 million American currently living with Alzheimer's and that number is expected to grow to as many as 16 million by 2050. For more information, please call us at 724-348-6699. • Epilepsy Awareness Month Epilepsy affects nearly three million Americans, and 200,000 are diagnosed with the condition each year. Epilepsy can be a debilitating condition not only because of the seizures but to often of the ignorance, fears and prejudice of others. For more information please call us at 724-348-6699. Anyone interested in these topics are encouraged to stop in for free information. Healthy Directions offers on-site laboratory services for blood and urine analysis are from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. A doctor's prescription is required for all laboratory tests conducted at Healthy Directions. Blood drawn and urine specimens collected at the Finleyville station will be tested at the Laboratory at Monongahela Valley Hospital and results of the testing will be sent to the physician designated by the patient. Healthy Directions/Finleyville is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. In addition to special programs and screenings, Healthy Directions features a health education resource library of books, pamphlets, videos, and other information. A referral service also is available, as well as private health education counseling. Additional information is available by calling 724-348-6699.

Learn to Belly Dance at PT Recreation Center Peters Township Park and Recreation Department is offering classes and programs at the Community Center in Session 6: November / December. (Classes are six weeks in length unless otherwise indicated) Class registration has begun and classes begin the week of November 8th. Pre-registration required. For more information check out our website at www.peterstownship.com; go to Parks and Recreation. Or contact us at Parks & Recreation Department (724-9425000) MIXED LEVEL BELLY DANCE (All Ages) DAY: Wednesday Time: 7:30 - 8:45 p.m. FEE: $60 Members /$90 Non-Member Shimmy and sweat as you learn the ancient art form of Middle Eastern Dance otherwise known as Belly Dance from the ladies of Sadiqa. This class will focus on fundamentals of Belly Dance from technique to stylization. Learn creative combos and drill them fast and slow for a fun Belly Dance workout. Experience is a plus, but class is suitable for all levels whether you are brand new or wanting to improve your skills. Wear something comfortable and bring a bottle of water! Instructors: Joanna Abel and Kari Merlina of Sadiqa Belly Dance

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MONONGAHELA VALLEY HOSPITAL NOVEMBER EVENTS Unless otherwise noted, the following programs will be held in the Anthony M. Lombardi Education Conference Center (ECC) at Monongahela Valley Hospital. Managing Your Diabetes - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, November 2, 3, 4 at 8:30 a.m., Mon-Vale HealthPLEX, Rostraver. 3-day, 2-hour per day education series that focuses on diabetes self-management and care. Registration is required at least one-week prior to the start of classes. For more information or to register, call 724-258-1483. Diabetic Foot Care and Education Program Wednesday, November 3 at 5 p.m., ECC. Join Dr. Richard Young, Medical Director of the MVH Center for Wound Management and the staff of the MVH Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, who will present a program that provides information on diabetic foot care and screens patients for potential problems. For more information or to register, call 724258-1483. Breast Cancer Support Group - Wednesday, November 3 at 6 p.m., ECC. This support group is free and open to all breast cancer

patients and their families. For more information, call 724-258-1704. Childbirth Preparation Classes - Wednesday, November 3, 10, 17, 24 from 7 to 9 p.m., Mon-Vale HealthPLEX, Rostraver. A fourweek series of prenatal education classes designed to prepare couples for the birthing process. Topics include: signs of labor, vaginal and c-section deliveries, role of the labor coach, comfort measures including breathing and relaxation skills and pain medication options. Couples will rehearse what they learn in class to help relieve anxiety surrounding the birthing experience. For more information, call 724-258-BABY (2229). Auxiliary Harvest Luncheon - Thursday, November 4 at Noon, ECC. The public is invited to this special sit down luncheon sponsored by the Auxiliary of Mon-Vale Health Resources, Inc. The luncheon will feature entertainment and prizes. Tickets will be sold in advance in the Monongahela Valley Hospital gift shop. To purchase a ticket, contact Dorothy Paterline, Auxiliary Ways and Means Chairperson at 724-483-7797 or Cochairperson Lil Nard at 724-929-6030.

RSDS Support Group - Tuesday, November 9 at 11 a.m., ECC. The Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Support Group is free and open to all persons with RSDS or related illnesses. For more information, call 724-9299492. Advanced Carbohydrate Counting Wednesday, November 10 at 9 a.m., ECC. Diabetes self-management class that focuses on carb counting with everything you need to know. How to measure the upward drive each meal has on blood sugar and information on the glycemic index. It is required that initial three-day Diabetes Self Management Training be completed prior to attending the Carbohydrate Counting class. In order to prepare education materials, at least one week advanced registration also is required. For more information or to register, call 724-2581148. Innovations In Osteoarthritis of the Knee and Hip - Wednesday, November 10 at 6 p.m., ECC. Board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon Scott Baron, M.D. representing The Orthopedic Group and a team of orthopedic services support staff will present this free community program focusing on new techniques, procedures and equipment in the rapidly expanding field of orthopedic surgery. Dr. Baron will discuss total and partial joint replacement and a variety of solutions. Refreshments will be served. To register, call the MVH Reservation Hotline at 724-2581333. Prostate Cancer Support Group - Wednesday, November 10 at 6 p.m., ECC. The Prostate Cancer Support Group is free and open to all persons with prostate cancer and their families. The discussion will be lead by Andrew J. Zahalsky, M.D., and Lori Lasich, CRNP, from the MVH Regional Cancer Center. For more information, call 724-292- 9404. Diabetes Support Group - Thursday, November 11 at 5:30 p.m., ECC. Annual Holiday Dinner - open to all diabetics and their families. Cost is $7.50 per person. For more information or to register, call 724-2581148. Cancer Support Group - Monday, November 15 at 7 p.m., ECC. This support group is free and open to all cancer patients and their families. For additional information, call 724258-1704.

Managing Your Diabetes - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, November 16, 17, 18 at 6 p.m., ECC. 3-day, 2-hour per day education series that focuses on diabetes self-management and care. Registration is required at least one-week prior to the start of classes. For more information or to register, call 724-2581483. Arthritis Support Group - Wednesday, November 17 at 1 p.m., ECC. This support group is free and open to all persons with arthritis or related illnesses and their families. Please call. 724-258-1433 to register. Ostomy Support Group - Thursday, November 18 at 6 p.m., ECC. This support group is free and open to all persons with ostomies and their families and friends. For more information, call 724-258-1773. Public First Aid Instruction - Thursday, November 18 at 6 p.m., ECC. Adult first aid classes are offered by the hospital in conjunction with Valley Health and Safety Training Center. The $25 fee is payable to VHSTC and advance registration is required at 724-6849536. Breast-feeding Class - Monday, November 22 at 6:30 p.m., Mon-Vale HealthPLEX, Rostraver. This free class is designed for mothers who plan to breastfeed and to help them feel more comfortable and confident while in the hospital after delivery and when returning home. Many props are used in this class including breast pumps. Husbands and grandmothers are welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, call 724-258BABY (2229). Light Up Night - Monday, November 22 at 7 p.m., Hospital Central Plaza. A long-standing tradition at MVH, the Light-Up Night revelry will begin at 7 p.m. and will feature a special visit by Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus. Children will have the opportunity to personally meet Santa and Mrs. Claus and each child will receive a treat. During the event, the MVH Auxiliary will hold a bake sale and gift raffle. Refreshments will be served. Public CPR Instruction - Tuesday, November 30 at 6 p.m., ECC. Adult CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) classes are offered by the hospital in conjunction with Valley Health and Safety Training Center (VHSTC). The $30 fee is payable to VHSTC and advance registration is required at 724-684-9536.

Tap into the power of the Messenger. Call today to learn more. 412.249.8177

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Kids & Family Are Your Kids Savvy About Internet Safety?

Children’s Harvest Festival Held at Oliver Miller Homestead

Joe Hancsak of South Park helped the young people with their tin punching.

Parents should know where their children go when they're online. (NewsUSA) - The Internet is an important educational tool. With a click of a mouse, kids can find information on just about anything. Unfortunately, children who don't practice basic Internet safety may expose themselves and their parents to certain risks. Children can easily stumble upon inappropriate content. Chat rooms have a reputation for encouraging Internet predation, but pedophiles can stalk victims from Web sites like Facebook as well. Many kids don't realize that anyone can read what they write on the Internet, so they post home phone numbers, addresses, their full names or the names of their schools. Social networking sites may also expose children to bullying, as peers can send demeaning e-mails, instant messaging and text messages without attracting attention from parents or teachers. Finally, children may download pirated music or movies, or even computer viruses or spyware. "The Internet is an important resource for kids, if they know how to use it," says John Goslin, chief technology officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), a non-profit organization that strives to help young people realize their potential. "Parents need to be aware of the potential dangers and create guidelines to help kids avoid them." CA Technologies, which serves as the BGCA's national information technology security partner through its global philanthropy program, CA Together IT, helps keep 56,000 BGCA computers secure. It starts off with security software, including anti-virus, anti-spam and anti-spyware technology, and prevention measures that restrict unauthorized use. "Software can help prevent viruses, spyware and inappropriate spam messages, and allow parents to monitor and help protect their children online," says George Kafkarkou, general manager of CA Technologies. "But parental supervision is the best security measure available to kids." Parents should know where their children go online and with whom they communicate. Placing computers in a family room can help you keep an eye on their activities. Parents should instruct children not to give out personal information online, even on sites like Facebook, and ask children to come to them if they encounter anything that makes them nervous or uncomfortable. For more information, visit www.bgca.org.

Caroline Smith and Andy Smith of Pleasant Hills made apple cider.

Lynette Sell of Lawrence, and Mary Olesky of South Park made tussie mussies from sweet annie and other herbs.

The Oliver Miller Homestead held its Children's Harvest Festival at the site in South Park. Children were able to bob for apples, churn butter, shuck corn, write with quill pens, and help make apple cider. Crafts that were made included corn bracelets, church babies, and tin punched ornaments. One of the most favorite activities was jumping in a large pile of leaves that had been raked together just for that purpose.

Fred Bowman of Jefferson Hills instructs young people in the many uses of corn as they shuck some to take home to feed the birds

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School News Ringgold Wins WPXI-TV School Spirit Award John Fedko Visits the School for Award Presentation By Paul Chasko It wasn’t just noisy – it was deafening! That’s the best way to describe the Assembly at Ringgold High School held on September 30. The school was awarded the WPXI School Spirit Award and John Fedko, sports anchor for WPXI was on hand to make the award. WPXI visits several schools on game night during the football season. They were filming clips at the Ringgold/Greensburg-Salem game and were impressed by the spirit shown by the student body – specifically by the "Ram Pound." So Fedko showed up the following Thursday to make the School Spirit Award and handed over a check from co-sponsor Wendy’s. Everyone was presnent in the gym for the ceremony– the student body, the band, the cheerleaders, the team, the coaches, Principal Homa, teachers, Wendy and even Mr. Frosty.

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Ringgold High School Holds Homecoming Bonfire By Paul Chasko It was a miserable rainy evening but spirits were high at the Ringgold High School Homecoming Bonfire. There was a good turnout despite the rain. Most of the team, the coaching staff, members of the Ringgold School Board and the Administration including Superintendent Hamilton could be found in the dripping crowd. The Carroll Twp. Volunteer Fire Dept. was on hand to tend the huge bonfire. The band, varsity and JV cheerleaders led the crowd in cheering on the team and showing lots of school spirit and support for Ringgold Rams Football.

GEC Students Gather "At the Pole" The Gastonville Elementary kids rallied around the flag pole for "At the Pole Day" on Wednesday, September 22. They did their morning exercises, said the Pledge of Allegiance, sang songs, and had a moment of silent reflection. This was a day to remember not only for our country but for our school and community. Football Coaches – (From L to R) Phil Vitalbo, Matt Humbert, Darryl Yonkers and Brandon Livsey were on hand to show their school spirit.

School Board President Denise Kuhn and Dr. Karen Polkabla Assistant to Superintendent Hamilton take in the Bonfire festivities

Ringgold Musicians Earn Honors at Highland Games

The Varsity Cheerleaders perform

Pictured (l-r) Sue Richard - Judge, Haley Hoffman, Jaime Stewartson, Kelly Jones and Mrs. Sandrock.

The JV Cheerleaders were also on hand

Some members of the Ringgold Rams football team mingle with the crowd

Kelly Jones won first place in the beginners division.

On September 11, Ringgold Middle School and Ringgold High School were represented at the Highland Games in Ligonier by several competitors in the Harp. Led by Mrs. Sandrock, music teacher at RMS, Haley Hoffman, Kelly Jones, Jaime Stewartson and Marissa Winters competed in the ensemble category and brought home a 2nd place win for Ringgold. Competing in the beginner level, Haley Hoffman took 2nd place and Kelly Jones took 1st. In addition, Kelly Jones was awarded the title of “Harper of the Day”, an award given by the Saint Andrew’s Society of Pittsburgh. Congratulations ladies!

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Proposed New High School Building Causes Stir at Ringgold Board Meeting By Paul Chasko The Ringgold School Board listened to arguments from residents opposed to last month’s unexpected vote to build a new High School and convert the existing High School into a Middle School. They found an ally in Board member Charles Smith who, if not totally opposed to the move, at least questioned the decision based on his belief that all options have not yet been explored. At least 10 residents addressed the board, none of whom supported the board’s decision to build a new high school building. The state of the economy, a declining Ringgold student population, the added burden on taxpayers, employment uncertainties and cost uncertainties were the reasons mentioned most often to rescind the prior Board decision. Also, several speakers thought any additional tax revenues should be spent to improve the curriculum and the teaching staff. Many also favored additions to existing buildings but no new buildings. Another irritant for the attendees was the inability for the board to come up with a total cost for the project including interest. Director of Operations and Financial Services Randy Skrinovich said the building costs have been estimated at $45,450,000 but added that uncertainties of what state funds would be received and cost of floating a bond issue made it difficult to predict total project costs to taxpayers. He did predict that accounting for millage increases already in the budget and cost savings after going to 4 buildings, the impact could be 8.47 mills over five years and that for every 1 mill increase, homeowners would pay $1 for every $1,000 of assessed value. The meeting grew more heated after two motions were placed on the floor for vote that would move the high school project forward; 1) To hire an attorney specializing in real estate acquisitions to negotiate the purchase of real property needed for the new high school and 2) to hire a Pittsburgh firm (Hampton Technical Associates) to do a Ringgold High School property survey (at a cost of $42,000). The first motion passed with "No" votes from board members Bulko and Smith. The second motion failed. Five year Board member Donald Bartoe tried to clarify the board’s position stating that, “the board was originally told it would cost between $90 million and $110 million to renovate all eight of Ringgold’s existing buildings and the best way to cut costs was to condense down to four buildings.” He said, “We’re going to have to do it,” referring to the new building. Other comments from Board members indicated that it’s the poor condition of Finley

Middle School that’s driving the need for the building project and PA funds for new high schools are easier to obtain than for renovations to existing buildings. Mr. Smith floored a motion to rescind the decision to move forward with construction of a new high school building on the basis that there are other options that haven’t been evaluated. A heated discussion ensued with board president Kuhn and other board members arguing that the options have been discussed for the past several years. Mr. Smith’s motion failed (Mr. Smith and Mrs. Bulko – voting “Yes to rescind the motion to build) and ( Mr. Stein, Mr. Carroll, Mrs., Garry, Mrs. Ripepi and Mrs. Kuhn voting “No” to rescind the motion to build). Cherie Curdie did not vote as she had left the meeting room. Based on this vote, the project will continue moving ahead. As a closing note to the evening, one of the attendees asked if the issue could be placed on a referendum to allow voters to decide the issue. There was no clear answer given from the board

Ringgold Crowns Homecoming Queen and King Lena Taddeo and Andy Stine Take the Honors By Paul Chasko In A departure from the norm, Ringgold High School elected and crowned a Homecoming Queen and a King this year. At half-time of the Homecoming Game with Laurel Highlands on October 8, Andy Stine was first crowned King and then Lena Taddeo was crowned Queen. Queen Lena Taddeo was escorted by King Candidate Joe Fogiato. She is the daughter of Sherrie and Dan Taddeo. An honor roll student, Lena is a cheerleader and a member of both interact The 2010 Homecoming Queen and King and the Ski Club. She enjoys being Lena Taddeo and Andy Stine. with her friends. Lena plans to study speech pathology in college. Andy is the son of Jim and Mary Stine. He is the Ram Pound President and is also a member of the National Honor Society. He plays basketball and baseball for the Rams. Andy enjoys lifting weights and being on television. Andy plans to go on to Virginia Tech to major in Engineering. The Queen’s Court: • Rachael Guglielmi was escorted by King Candidate Steve Reynolds • Kaylin Homa was escorted by King Candidate Jordon Massari • Ali Kapty was escorted by King Candidate Josh Mayer • Sarah Lutz was escorted by King Candidate and now King Andy Stine

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Heroes Team Up for Book Fair at South Park Elementary Center By Ken Askew

Todd Plunkett of the Baldwin Emergency Medical Services K9 Unit introduces Band-Aid to Nathan and Kadence Frost

Heroes come in several categories—military, firefighters, police, teachers, medical personnel, community leaders, and entertainment superhero characters. All of these heroes converged on the South Park Elementary Center to help out at the Scholastic Book Fair held on October 14, 2010. The theme of this year’s Book Fair was “Here’s to our Heroes! Reading Saves the Day!” The heroes came to encourage the students to read, and give them a chance to talk face-to-face and ask questions of real-life heroes. Over 800 kids and adults attended the event, which included contests, refreshments, read-alouds, booktalks, and door prizes. The fundraiser exceeded its’ goal of $1,000 to help build classroom libraries and improve children’s reading skills by purchasing books through the “Classroom Wish List” and donating to the “One for Books” programs, which puts books directly in the children’s hands; in addition, for every dollar donated, Scholastic has donated a book to charity as well. The “New Dimension Comics” book store of the Century III Mall in Sgt. Keith Zenkovich arrived with West Mifflin brought many life-size posters of superheroes as decoraco-worker Ike from the Clairton tions, and donated comic books, games, and prizes to the students. Police Department’s K9 Unit. Most heroes go through life without a lot of fanfare. It is those people who the school wanted to celebrate and honor. They included the following participants: • Sgt. Keith Zenkovich and his K9 police dog Ike from the Clairton Police Department • Firefighter Robert Craig of the Library Volunteer Fire Company, Station 271 • Mike Vargo, a veteran US Army aviation officer • Todd Plunkett from the Baldwin Emergency Medical Services, with his K9 dog BandAid • South Park Police Officer Joe Pantuso • Norm Solomon, former Cubmaster of South Park Cub Scout Pack 569 • Ericka Kubiak, a Clinical Leader from the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh • Dressed in costume from South Park Elementary Center: Principal Dr. Tiffeni Furman, Vice-principal Jennifer Leorchick, and Teachers—Mr. Brooks Criswell and Mr. Joe Quast (PHOTOS COURTESY OF KELLY FROST) * To view additional photos from this event, please visit our website at www.unionfinley.com, and click on the Photo Galleries button.

Irish Writing Contest Subjects Announced The National Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians have announced the subjects for the 2010-2011 Irish Writing Contest. For grades 6, 7, and 8 the subject is "The History of the Shanachie - Traveling Story Tellers". For grades 9, 10, 11 and 12, the subject is" The Fighting 69th - Then and Now." All students in grades 6-12 attending public, private, parochial and home schools are eligible to enter this contest. The top prize in the high school level is $1,000. Top Prize in the lower level is $500. Deadline for the contest is January 10, 2011. Information concerning the contest is being sent to all the local schools, but any interested parties can get more information by calling Div #4 Irish Historian, Rose Venanzi at 724-258-5295.

The school cafeteria / gymnasium was transformed into a book store

Principal Dr. Tiffeni Furman and Vice-Principal Jennifer Leorchick pose with their students in front of some of the many life-size superhero posters supplied by the “New Dimension Comics” book store in Century III Mall, West Mifflin

Many superheroes were represented. Left to right: Parent Teacher Organization President Cindy Weiss wore her Batman shirt, School Principal Dr. Tiffeni Furman joined the fun as Superman, Ken Frederick of the “New Dimension Comics” book store in West Mifflin’s Century II Mall holds a Captain America shield, Vice-Principal Jennifer Leorchick came as Supergirl, Lucas Furman joined in the fun, and Dylan Weiss sported a Superboy shirt.

High School Senior Portraits Mention this ad and get $25 off either package! Call for an appointment or visit my website. Portraits done outdoors, in my studio, or I can come to you.

Time Stand Still Photography 724-263-3838 timestandstillphoto.com

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PETERS TOWNSHIP

SCHOOL NEWS PTHS Students Earn National Merit Honors Ten students from Peters Township High School have been named Commended Students by the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program. Egan Balash, Allyson Cashman, Connor Dickey, Kayla Greguric, Eileen Jacob, Juliet Leon, Nicholas McKelvey, Christian Ranallo, Andrew Shope, and Sean Woodrow are among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students who took the 2009 Preliminary SAT (PSAT). The students will receive a letter of commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their exceptional academic promise.

PTHS Senior Earns Academic Honors Peters Township High School senior Nevin Hagman has been named a recipient of the Rensselaer Medal. Given by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the award is given to students who have distinguished themselves in mathematics and science. Each medalist will receive a scholarship of $60,000 to the university upon enrollment.

PTHS Dance Team Named Grand Champion The Peters Township High School Dance team took part in the 2010 PNC Park Americheer Competition on Saturday, September 25, 2010. Out of more than 30 teams competing, both the varsity and junior varsity teams took first place in their divisions. In addition, the varsity team earned the title of Grand Champion with the highest total score in the competition. The varsity team is coached by Dominique Deliere Schuster and Barb Deliere, and the junior varsity team is coached by Ashlee Olivo.

PTHS Musicians Selected for Honors Band and Orchestra Seven musicians from Peters Township High School have been selected by audition to take part in PMEA Honors Band - the most students ever from PTHS to receive this honor. Representing the District will be seniors John Mackay, Josh Orr, Breanna Ferchak, Laura Bertoni, juniors Michael Counihan, Jennifer Mikec and sophomore Hannah Jacobs. Alternates were senior HB Hull and sophomore Carla Hoge. The Honors Band Concert will take place at Carnegie Music Hall on November 28. In addition, two students were also selected by audition to take part in the PMEA Honors Orchestra. Representing the District will be senior Allyson Cashman and sophomore Alexandria Conti. Alternates were junior Kirsten Adams, and sophomore Maggie Rickman. The Honors Orchestra concert will take place on November 7 at Plum Area High School.

Elizabeth Forward High School Homecoming Court Introducing the Elizabeth Forward High School Homecoming Court - Pictured (l-r): Chelsea Cherepko, Abby Fleckenstein, Karley Staffen, Kasey Martik, Kristine Kite, Karlee Criado, Missy Hubans, Kayla Wilhelm

Elizabeth Forward Honors Six Alums Six more distinguished alumni were inducted into the Elizabeth Forward High School Hall of Fame at the Alumni & Friends Association’s 14th annual Recognition Night October 2 at Youghiogheny Country Club. Inductees are: William Ryczaj, Class of 1962, who has a 40-year career encompassing collegiate athletics, corporate America and higher education. J. Richard Simpson, Class of 1966, who spent 15 years in medical sales before founding his own company. Fred McLeod, Class of 1970, who has served as the television play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Cavaliers since 2006. Ronald W. Dufalla, Class of 1972, who has been an educator for 35 years. Dr. Dufalla is superintendent of the Brentwood School District and is an adjunct professor at Point Park University. U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. James E. Haywood, Class of 1979, who is an administrator at Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. Frank E. Myers III, Class of 1981, who is director of clinical epidemiology and safety systems at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, California.

Elizabeth October Students of the Month Brianna Gallaher, Shannon Prota, Corey Ward, Hannah Bartrug, and Jeremy Kachurick were chosen as October Students of the Month. They were honored with breakfast, a certificate, and kind words shared by the nominating teachers were read in regards to each student.

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Madonna Catholic Regional

SCHOOL NEWS Breakfast to Honor Grandparents Held at MCRS Madonna Catholic Regional School recently held a breakfast to honor grandparents. Pictured below are some of the students with their grandparents having an enjoyable breakfast and spending some quality time.

Kindergartener Anthony Amati and Grandpa Joe DeChicchis share a hug over some chocolate milk at breakfast!Funtal smile for the camera!

Paula Skorvan enjoys breakfast with granddaughters Kylie and Alexa Skorvan Robison

St. Joan of Arc There's always something happening at St. Joan of Arc School. Check us out at 412-8332433 or at mysjaschool.org.

Scholastic Book Fair St. Joan of Arc School will have a Scholastic Book Fair on November 6 - 9. Books for all ages and interests are available for sale, as well as, novelty items and posters. In addition to school time for the students, the Book Fair will be available after all masses that weekend. Its one of St. Joan's biggest fundraisers, as well as, an opportunity to earn points to use for buying resources for the school. Come and join us if you can.

Lottery Ticket Sale St. Joan of Arc School is having its annual Year Long Lottery Ticket sale. Cost of the ticket is $25.00. Winners are based on the PA State Lottery 7 p.m. drawing. Cash rewards are as follows - $125.00 on the 1st and 15th of the month; $500.00 on Valentines Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Thanksgiving; $30.00 on all other days. If interested or have any questions, please contact Tammy Manion at 724-348-9036. Proceeds benefit St. Joan of Arc School.

Joanne Funtal and granddaughter Rachael Funtal smile for the camera!

3rd grader Jillian Scherer with her Pap, Dale Robison

8th grader Alex Massari gets a hug from Grandma Dorothy Passarello

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Senior Night for Ringgold Girls Soccer By Paul Chasko The Ringgold Rams Girl’s Soccer season came to an end a bit sooner than they’d have liked. Ending the season at 6-6-0 in Section 4 and 10-7-1 overall wasn’t a bad season but not quite good enough to make the WPIAL playoffs this year. Nevertheless, they had a great Senior Night on October 12 beating Charleroi 6-0 and the senior recognition ceremony was great with the parents of the senior girls joining them on the field for their introductions.

Ringgold Rams Girls Soccer Team Seniors - Front Row (L to R): Emily Spindler, Leah Pascarella, Taylor Halinka, Sarah Lutz, Lindsey Ficorilli, Ali Kapty and Racheal Stilley.Back Row: Assistant Coaches Dana Galiffa and Stephanie Kuhn; Laura Guarinoni, Angela Beck, Moriah Mathies, Ashley McMahon, Michelle Bassi and Amy Bracken. Standing to the right is Coach Tom Cameron.

Monongahela Youth Football Coach Memorialized By Ken Askew In memory of Anthony Bove, the football field at Monongahela’s Mounds Park has been officially named after him. Tony was one of the founders of the local youth football league in 1964. Serving as a Wildcats coach for 40 years, on game day he was one of the first to arrive at the field to prepare it, and one of the last to leave after clean-up and shutdown. Born in Van Voorhis, Tony graduated from Monongahela High School in 1957, and then served four years in the On behalf of the Wildcats organization, Marines. He married Donna Miller in Zach Giovaniello presents a team jersey to Coach 1964, and they had three children – Toni Tony Bove’s family. Pictured Left to right: Rae Zemba, David, and Bob. Tony was Granddaughter Rylee, wife Donna, daughter 71 when he passed away in September, Toni Rae, and son David. 2010. His passion for football began when he played in high school, and continued when he was chosen MVP of a semi-pro team in the Marines, and later was MVP again when he played two years for another semi-pro team, the Washington Generals. Tony passed down his team spirit and knowledge of the game to local youth as a cherished gift. It took a 5-bypass surgery and a fight with cancer to make him hang up his cleats and coach’s whistle. Tony’s wife Donna fondly remembers that “He couldn’t wait for the season to start—he loved coaching, and he loved the kids.” His daughter Toni Rae recalled that “Being part of this organization was very important to him. He put his heart and soul in the League. He loved to coach.” The dedication ceremony was held just prior to a Wildcats football game, with many players, cheerleaders, and parents in attendance. Tony’s family members participating in the ceremony included his wife Donna, son David, daughter Toni Rae, and granddaughter Rylee. Missing but remembered were his son Bob, niece Bailee, and nephew Roman. Presentations to the family on behalf of the Wildcats organization included a helmet by Ashley Briscoe, a Wildcats team jersey with Tony’s name on it by Zach Giovaniello, and a plaque by Jerry McHugh.

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SPORTS www.unionfinley.com

Thomas Jefferson High School Cheerleaders Sponsor Youth Night 2010

TJ Midget Football Players Receive New Uniforms

New Jerseys are worn by a sampling of TJ Youth players of various ages as they take part in the award ceremony. Officers of the Thomas Jefferson Youth Football Association (Joe Schmidt at far left) were on hand to thank Representative Levdansky for his help.

The TJ Youth Cheerleader s join the TJ High School Cheerleader s to perform for the crowd

The Thomas Jefferson High School Varsity Cheerleaders sponsored Youth Night 2010 fundraising event held Friday, September 16, at which elementary and middle school students were invited to cheer alongside them during the first quarter of the home football game. Many of the participants were members of TJ Youth Cheerleading Associaton and had a ball cheering with the “big girls.” The Thomas Jefferson High School Marching Band To prepare, the girls attended a put on a spectacular halftime show at the first cheer camp at the high school home football game on September 17. from on Thursday, September 16 to learn the cheers and a few dances. With all the cheering going on, it’s no wonder the team won against McGuffey 49-3.

At the end of last football season, most football uniforms used by the Thomas Jefferson Youth Football League were in pretty bad shape. The league Officers made State Representative Dave Levdansky aware of the problem and Dave came through for the kids. With his help the association received a $10,000 grant for new uniforms and equipment. (PHOTOS BY PAUL CHASKO)

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Canonsburg General Hospital to Offer a Drivers Safety Refresher Course Canonsburg General Hospital, in association with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), will offer a four-hour refresher course for drivers 55 or older who have previously completed the AARP driver safety program. The session will be held from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m., on Thursday, November 18, in the Canonsburg General Hospital McNary Conference Center. The fee for the course is $12 for AARP members and $14 for nonAARP members, payable in advance. The accelerated course covers age-related physical changes, declining perceptual skills, rules of the road, local driving problems and license renewal requirements. A certified instructor recruited and trained by AARP, will conduct the course. His presentation includes a combination of videotapes and a group discussion. Verification of previous course completion is required. To register, or for more information, call Physician Access toll-free at 1-877-284-2000. Class size is limited to 25 people.

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PT Library Begins "Senior Space" Project The Peters Township Public Library was recently awarded a $4,000 grant to create a "Senior Space" in the library. The grant was awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries to public libraries to support services/programming to those 55 and older. Six libraries in Pennsylvania were awarded the grants after completing a competitive application process. To make the best use of this grant award, the library's Young Adult Librarian Maddie Siegel will be working with Library Director Pier Lee coordinating an effort to collect input from the community on the types of programming to plan and suggested resources to add to the library's collection.

Canonsburg General Hospital To Host Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group A free Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 11 at Canonsburg General Hospital in the McNary Conference Center. The support group is sponsored by Consulate Retirement Village of North Strabane and is affiliated with the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. The group will meet the second Thursday of every month. The meeting will be an opportunity for caregivers to share practical ideas in a supportive setting, connect with other families and learn from guest speakers. For more information, call 724-809-6679.

Comng Next Month! SENIOR GUIDE For advertising information, call 412.249.8177

SENIORS

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Oldies Dance and Dinner in South Park - November 20 The VFW Post 1940 is having an "Oldies Dance and Dinner" on Saturday, November 20th. The tickets are $20.00 per person. Location is at the Broughton fire hall in South Park. The band is Renewed Memories. There will be a Chinese Auction, 50/50 and other activities. For more information or for reservations, please call the VFW Post 1940 at 412-655-9922.

Senior News from the Venetia Community Center The following information is for the Venetia Community Center located at 800 Venetia Road, Venetia, PA. We are sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging. The date for our next luncheon will be November 11. Our guests will be two gracious speakers from Country Meadows at Home, Stacie Garland and Sharie Durr. They will speak to us and then we will play a surprise game. Come on November 11th to see what surprise is in store for you. In November there will be only one meeting because Thanksgiving falls on the date of our next meeting. Best wishes to all and have a great feast. Have a thankful and a happy Thanksgiving! Birthdays for November are Emma Huston, Janet Janico, Mary Kotula, Jean Mondale, Lois Obringer, Mary Paver, Loretta Stancampiano, Mary Taylor and Loraine Terminato. Have a happy and healthy birthday to each of you.

Over 1,000 area businesses and organizations have advertised in this newspaper. Isn’t it about time that yours did too? Tap into the power of the Messenger.

Call today to learn more.

412.249.8177

Lab hours: 7-11 a.m. There are days that we are here until 3 p.m. Please call for information on our hours.

724-348-6699

6116 Brownsville Road Ext. Suite 107 Martik Office Complex Finleyville, PA 15332

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Food & Dining Don’t Be Left Out of The Union-Finley Messenger D i n i n g S e c t i o n . call (412) 249-8177

Foods to Bring Healthy Smiles to Kids' Faces (NewsUSA) - You probably know that sweets and soda are bad for your children's teeth, but have you stopped to think about what foods are good for their teeth? Some foods support tooth and gum health. Keep these foods in mind the next time you pack your children's lunches: • Look for vegetables high in vitamin A. Veggies like pumpkin, sweet potatoes, broccoli and carrots are high in vitamin A, which is important in the formation of tooth enamel. Try packing baby carrots in children's lunchboxes or making homemade, baked sweet potato fries.

calcium. Just be sure to watch portion sizes, as cheese is high in fat and salt. An appropriate serving of natural cheese, like cheddar, is the size of two domino pieces. • Snack on fruit. You may know that vitamin C is good for your skin, but did you know that it's also good for your gums? Healthy gums help support teeth, so make sure your children get enough vitamin C. For their size, kiwis have more vitamin C than any other fruit. If green things are a tough sell, try apple slices, strawberries or orange wedges.

Don't Forget Good Oral Hygiene! • Say "cheese." Cheese helps balance the pH in the mouth, making it less friendly for destructive bacteria. It also contains

PACKING COMPANY

Remember that there is no substitute for good oral hygiene. Make sure your children brush their teeth twice a day with a

fluoridated toothpaste and floss at least once a day. Teach them to drink water after eating, as it will help flush food from their mouth. Of course, children aren't always the most diligent brushers and flossers. Some parents give their children an oral care probiotic, such as EvoraKids (www.myevorakids.com), to help pick up any slack in kids' oral care habits. Oral care probiotics work by flooding the mouth with good bacteria, which adhere to tooth surfaces, including crevices, pits and fissures in the chewing surfaces, leaving less room for bad bacteria to grow. The probiotics effectively compete with certain harmful bacteria for both nutrients and space on teeth surfaces, reaching where brushing and flossing can't.

November 2010 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Page 71 FOOD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– & DINING www.unionfinley.com

Food Gifts Inspire Holiday Memories (ARA) - This year, when putting together your holiday gift list, try starting a new tradition of creating memorable moments for your family and friends that they can look back on, years from now, with big smiles on their faces. Many memories revolve around the family dinner table, especially the guest of honor at all meals: the meat. Whether it's a mouthwatering prime rib, a melt-in-your-mouth turkey or a flavorful ham, the family holiday meal evokes many heart-warming memories. Evoking memories with food gifts is easier - and less expensive - than you might think. Here's how to get started. Sit down with a

blank sheet of paper. Divide it into two columns and jot down your favorite holiday memories in the first column. In the second column, add the individuals on your gift list. Then, start to match the memory-making items you'd like to share. To make the gift even more special, write down the memory in a special card for the recipient. Ed Scavuzzo, president of Kansas City Steaks, says he receives notes every year from customers who are trying to re-create that special holiday meal. "One gentleman wanted to find a Beef Wellington his mother used to serve on Christmas Eve. A young woman

called, asking if we had a special Hickory Smoked Turkey, like the one she remembers from Thanksgiving with her great aunt Mary," says Scavuzzo. The scents of the holidays may also inspire some holiday food gifts. Cloves, cinnamon, sage and garlic are just a few of the wafting scents that greet you when you step into your memory holiday kitchen. Look for food gifts that bring those scents to life to add another dimension to your holiday present. Look for items to extend the giving, and the memories, throughout the year. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is becoming popular in many areas of the coun-

try. Gift certificates for fresh produce throughout the year to supplement the main entree is a great new way to give - and to give back to your community at the same time. There are many online holiday gift resources to help you make these memories come to life. One great resource to help you re-create those special holiday meals is www.kansascitysteaks.com, where you can order all kinds of holiday favorites, from filet mignon to steaks, online. By making memorable food the center of your holiday giving, you'll not only bring your loved one joy this year, but bring them back to the joyful times of the past.

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Fight Against Childhood Obesity Begins at Home (NewsUSA) - Schools nationwide are revamping their lunch menus, celebrity chefs are going on reality TV and First Lady Michelle Obama has started a health initiative, all to combat the same thing -- childhood obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 25 million American children are obese or overweight, setting them up for a lifetime of health problems, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Many school systems have made attempts to provide healthier school lunches, such as offering salad bars or fresh fruit. Food and drink makers are also making efforts to solve the problem. Companies like Coca-Cola have removed regular soft drinks from schools, and recently, major beverage companies, together with the Prepare meals with your William J. Clinton Foundation and children to encourage the Alliance for a Healthier healthy eating habits. Generation, announced that they have successfully cut total calories from drinks delivered to schools by 88 percent over the last three years. "From my experience, schools alone cannot stop children from becoming overweight or obese," says registered dietitian Sylvia Klinger. "It is very important for parents to make an effort to encourage healthy eating habits at home and outside of the classroom." KLINGER SUGGESTS THESE TIPS FOR PARENTS WHO WANT THEIR CHILDREN TO LIVE HEALTHY,ACTIVE LIVES: • Make healthy foods easy. We're all familiar with the phrase "eat the rainbow." To make it easy to get your family to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, chop bite-sized portions in advance, so you can take them out of the fridge and run. Sneak fruits into smoothies, and veggies into sauces, salsas or soups. Also, look for individually packaged whole-grain products, like 100 percent whole wheat bread, oatmeal and brown rice. • Create healthy eating habits. Always eat breakfast -- children who eat breakfast not only weigh less, but also perform better in school. It is also important to schedule regular meal times. Try involving your children in the preparation of each meal. Avoid the clean plate system, which only promotes overeating. Also, don't ban treats, which can encourage sneaking food or overeating when sweets are present. •Get active. Exercise is important regardless of your child's weight or age. If your child is overweight, focus on maintaining that weight while the child grows in height, which can be accomplished through exercise. No matter your child's size, activities like team sports, swimming, hiking, cycling or just taking a family walk can help manage weight, increase energy and improve self-esteem.

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Entertainment PUMP UP the

VOLUME!

by Mandy Withers-Kozlo wski

Live Music & Entertainment at Your Neighborhood Hot Spot!