the almanac F E B R U A RY 4, 2024
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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One dead after reports of fire in Peters Township By Jon Andreassi Staff writer
jandreassi@observer-reporter.com
A bench made from plastic bottle caps was dedicated at Peters Township Library on Thursday. The Giant Oaks Garden Club, which collected plastic non-biodegradable caps, “adopted” the bench from Clean and Tidy Our County Inc.
PHOTOS: KAREN MANSFIELD/OBSERVER-REPORTER
Recycled bottle caps transformed into park benches By Karen Mansfield Staff writer
kmansfield@observer-reporter.com
It may look like a typical bench, but the gray bench located near the pollinator garden at Peters Township Library is anything but. The 185-pound bench is made from recycled caps. “When you open up a refrigerator door, you have ketchup, relish, mustard bottles with caps. Everybody has hundreds of plastic caps they don’t realize they have – caps from spray paint cans, laundry soap, deodorant, medicine bottles, spice jars,” said Fern Sibert, founder and director of the nonprofit Clean and Tidy Our County Inc. Clean and Tidy Our County Inc. collects non-reThe nonprofit collects non-recyclable plastic caps that are turned into bench- cyclable plastic caps, then hauls es and picnic tables. them to Green Tree Recycling in
Evansville, Ind., a company that turns the caps into benches and picnic tables. On Thursday, Giant Oaks Garden Club hosted a dedication of the eco-friendly bench it adopted from Clean And Tidy. In the last three years, the garden club’s 68 members have collected more than 100,000 non-biodegradable bottle caps, which the club has donated to several cap collecting efforts, including Clean and Tidy, launched in February 2023. The garden club’s goal is to generate interest in the conservation of the environment, and Clean and Tidy’s mission is to take non-recyclable plastic and create park benches and picnic tables that local groups and businesses can “adopt.” SEE CAPS PAGE A2
After a fatal fire in Peters Township last week, the fire chief offered to assist households that are lacking smoke detectors. Chief Michael McLaughlin said firefighters were called to 103 Spruce Drive shortly before 2:30 p.m. Jan. 25, though they were initially dispatched to the wrong address of 106 Spruce. Upon arrival, McLaughlin said the fire was already out, but there was a haze of smoke in the home’s second story where the woman’s body was found. “The fire had apparently burnt out. Only hot spots and smoke conditions remained,” McLaughlin said in an email following the fire. The Washington County coroner identified the woman as Cathleen Castagna, 67. There were no smoke detectors in the home. “Our crews will be in the neighborhood in the coming weeks to talk with the neighbors about home fire safety and the importance of smoke detectors,” McLaughlin said. In a statement posted to Facebook, the Peters Township Fire Department
offered assistance to residents. “Peters Township firefighters are committed to keeping the residents and visitors to the township safe. If you do not have working smoke detectors in your home please reach out to our department for assistance with obtaining and installing smoke detectors, as well as any home fire safety questions you may have,” the post reads. The state police fire marshal was at the scene that afternoon. According to McLaughlin, the fire marshal's initial report stated that the fire was "an accidental cause with positive indication of ignition caused by careless smoking." State police continue to investigate and have yet to declare a definitive cause. According to the coroner, Castagna was declared dead at 3:49 p.m. Her cause and manner of death are pending further investigation. Emergency responders were alerted to the fire after Castagna’s sister-in-law contacted 911. “Her relative came home to check on her, and knew something was wrong,” McLaughlin said. There were no other injuries reported as a result of the fire.
JON ANDREASSI/OBSERVER-REPORTER
A woman was found dead following a fire inside this Peters Township home Jan. 25.
Bill proposes mental health days for students By Karen Mansfield
The Pennsylvania School Boards Association’s State of Education report shows student mental health concerns are one of the biggest challenges facing school districts, with 71% of districts surveyed for the 2023 report saying student mental health is one of their top two challenges.
Staff writer
kmansfield@observer-reporter.com
A proposal that recently cleared the House Education Committee would consider mental health days as excused absences for Pennsylvania students. If passed, House Bill 1519 grants students up to three mental health days per year under the umbrella of excused absences under the state’s truancy codes. The number of students reporting poor mental health
METROCREATIVE
UPPER ST. CLAIR Middle school team builds future city PAGE A2
SPORTS First-year coaches makes splash at BP and PT PAGE B1 What’s happening, B3
is increasing. For the past three years, the Pennsylvania School Boards Association’s State of Education report showed student mental health concerns are one of the biggest challenges facing school districts, with 71% of districts surveyed for the 2023 report saying student mental health is one of their top two challenges. The bill was introduced by Rep. Napoleon Nelson of Montgomery County. In a memo to the House, Nelson said that challenges,
SIGHTS & SOUNDS A look at what love might be like in the future PAGE B3 Classifieds, B4
specifically those exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, make the legislation necessary. “Few challenges are as urgent or pressing as the lasting impact of stress and emotional duress on our students,” he wrote in his memo. “According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the pandemic negatively affected the mental health of many children and youth, creating even more public awareness of this pre-existing problem.” SEE HEALTH PAGE A2