By Jon Andreassi Staff writer jandreassi@observer-reporter.com
For a long while, Mount Washington was a distinct natural barrier separating Pittsburgh from the communities in the South Hills and beyond, but that changed dramatically when the Liberty Tunnels opened to traffic 100 years ago.
The tunnels – or the tubes, if you prefer – connected the South Hills to the city by way of West Liberty Avenue. Cars began traveling through the Liberty Tunnels in January 1924, though they had been open to foot traffic prior to that. Leslie Przybylek, senior curator at Heinz History Center, said it was those communities that lobbied the hardest for the construction.
“It was really the South Hills communities that kept the momentum alive,” Przybylek said.
The population and development of Mt. Lebanon exploded with the advent of the tunnels.
a tractor-trailer traveling through Springhill Township in Fayette County.
By Jon Andreassi Staff writer newsroom@observer-reporter.com
Officials in Southwestern Pennsylvania continue to seek the identities of women whose remains are still unidentified decades after their deaths.
Last month state police in Uniontown issued a fresh plea for tips in identifying a woman who was killed in a tractor-trailer crash in Spring-
hill Township on May 2, 1986. She was a passenger in a vehicle driven by a man traveling from Sparrows Point, Md., to Richmond, Ky. In Washington County, Coroner Timothy Warco said his office still hopes to identify skeletal remains discovered May 12, 2004, in a swampy area near The Pavilion at Star Lake in Hanover Township.
This woman has been unidentified for nearly four decades after dying in a vehicle crash in 1986.
Food drive memorializes Mt. Lebanon native
The fourth annual David T. Bannon Food and Fund Drive is off to an impressive start.
To date, $110,000 and 11,500 pounds of food and essentials have been collected for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
The event runs through July 28. Donations can be deposited into bins located at 420 Parkview Drive in Mt. Lebanon.
The fundraiser is held in memory of Bannon. The Mt. Lebanon High School graduate was living and working in Washington, D.C., when he passed away at age 34 on July 28, 2020.
Though COVID was not the cause of his death, he was hospitalized during the period when no visitors were allowed because of the pandemic.
David T. Bannon
“We couldn’t be there with him,” Christine Patti told The Almanac when she started the food drive in her son’s memory in 2021. She added that the family was “fortunate” that the Georgetown Medical Center had “many
very compassionate” staff members.
“But they weren’t there hugging him and holding his hand. He was by himself until the very end.”
BANNON ENJOYED WATCHING THE FOOD CHANNEL, AND COOKING WAS ONE OF HIS HOBBIES. THOSE INTERESTS, ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT PATTI (BANNON’S MOTHER) VOLUNTEERS WITH THE FOOD BANK’S PRODUCE TO PEOPLE PROGRAM, MADE SENSE TO DO A FOOD DRIVE IN BANNON’S MEMORY.
Bethel Park woman celebrates 100th birthday
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net
As Angelina Luisi blew out the candles on her birthday cake, she jokingly said, “I don’t feel a day over 99.”
On July 7, however, the Bethel Park resident turned 100. As Luisi watched fellow residents attempt to break a piñata during her birthday bash at Provincial Bethel Park, an independent senior living community, she credited several reasons for her longevity.
One of 12 siblings growing up in Brookline, she recalled the mad dashes to the dinner table.
“I’d run in there as fast as I could and eat all the desserts,” she said.
Growing more contemplative, Luisi added, “Just lucky, to live to 100.”
Born July 7, 1924, Luisi is the daughter of Pietro and Maria Bonura. She was the 10th of their 12 children and the second to reach the century mark. Her sister, Josie, died two weeks shy of 101.
Luisi said her dad provided for the family and her mother was a great cook – two additional reasons why she has survived to be 100.
“We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner. All big meals. Healthy, too,” she said. Luisi also noted “public school” for her prosperity. Initially, she attended Resurrection Catholic Elementary School but bartered with her father to attend Brookline School, about a mile from her home on Brookline Boulevard.
“I wanted to go there because they had gym (class),” Luisi said. “My dad said, ‘You can go but you had to walk’ and my sister, Josephine, and I did. We walked quite a distance. Up that great big hill and passed the fire house,” she added.
Drive
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A 2008 University of Pittsburgh graduate, Bannon worked since 2015 as team leader of commercial applications engineering for multinational biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
Bannon enjoyed watching the Food Channel, and cooking was one of his hobbies.
Those interests, along with the fact that Patti volunteers with the food bank’s Produce to People program, made sense to do a food drive in Bannon’s memory.
“They’re just wonderful. They’re wonderful people to work for, and anything they can do to help others,” said the retired Mt. Lebanon School District principal. “It’s amazing, the organization they have.”
During the drive, tickets for a basket raffle are being sold from noon until 7 p.m. The collection concludes July 28 with a daylong celebration beginning at 7 a.m. with a memorial Mass to be held at St. Bernard’s Church on Washington Road.
Activities move to Parkview Drive and will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Kona Ice will be on site, and Bear the Bloodhound will make a guest appearance, courtesy of the Mt. Lebanon Police Department.
For more information on the fundraiser or to purchase basket raffle tickets, call 412-335-4843 or email cdm40@verizon.net.
“Mom always told me walking to school, taking gym (classes) and being active were reasons why she was so healthy,” said Luisi’s daughter, Gina. “She was tough. She played sports. Everything. She was a tomboy unlike her other sisters.”
Luisi remembers when her father died. He was 49. Her mother passed at 65.
When asked about her most memorable moment Luisi answered, “When my dad recovered from pneumonia. It eventually got him though.” She also noted how back then parents died at an early age.
“Today, you live to be over 100,” she said.
Luisi spent 65 of those years married to her husband, John, who hailed from Canonsburg.
“We met at a picnic at Canonsburg Dam,” Luisi said. “He was the highlight of my life.”
Remains
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“Before I go see Jesus, I would like to see her remains get to their final resting place,” Warco said.
Because the Star Lake remains are skeletal, Warco said they have been entrusted to Dennis Dirkmaat, a forensic anthropologist from Mercyhurst University in Erie.
According to The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), a dozen cases involving unidentified remains are still active in Allegheny County. The most recent is from Oct. 28, 2021, when skeletal remains were recovered from a hillside in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. According to NamUs, the remains likely are from a white man between the ages of 19 and 49.
On Sept. 30, 2014, Unipaper employees in Collier Township discovered a human skull. They contacted police and the remains were turned over to the Allegheny County Office of the Medical Examiner. According to NamUs, investigators were able to determine the skull belonged to an adult but not the race, gender or age.
At a cemetery in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood, workers discovered a human skull, pelvis and arm bone on Aug. 13, 1998. According to NamUs, a green blanket was found near the remains. Investigators believe the bones belong to a Black man who would have been between 60 and 75 years old when he died.
In cases involving unidentified bodies, coroners’ procedures vary county by county.
Abigail Gardner, communications director for Allegheny County, said the county’s medical examiner’s office will hold unidentified or unclaimed remains for about two weeks if they are unable to locate next of kin. After that, the remains are cremated.
“They do exhaust every feasible avenue for locating a next of kin for the decedent,” Gardner said.
The county averages 100 to 150 cremations per year. Gardner notes that
The couple spent their early married years stationed at Camp Lee, now Fort Gregg-Adams, Prince George County, Virginia. Luisi worked in the laundry, tying bundles, while her husband was a barber.
After their tour of duty, they returned to the region and settled in Bethel Park to work and raise a family.
While John owned the barbershop in the South Park Shops until his death at 83, Angelina worked at Red Cap Cleaning, Kaufmann’s Tic Toc Restaurant and the St. Clair Country Club. She was active in the Bethel Park Women’s Club and St. Valentine Church, where she was involved with the Christian Mothers organization, the Altar Society and the Bereavement Choir.
Luisi also reared four children: Joan, 78, who lives in New Jersey;
Joyce, who died at 73 in 2020; John, 70, who resides in Florida, and Gina, 67.
Thirteen years ago, when her husband died, Luisi moved into the senior living facility, not too far from the house the family built on Sherwood as well as the home in which they later resided on Broad Street.
“I love it here,” she said. “I’m comfortable. My kids are always around me. I never had a day that I didn’t like it.”
Some 100 residents and staff attended the birthday party that fea-
in some cases a next of kin has been located, but they are unable to provide a burial or cremation.
Newly elected Fayette County Coroner Dr. Bob Baker said there is a limit as to how long they will maintain custody of remains.
“We would do what we call county cremation,” Baker said.
According to Baker, the office would maintain possession of the ashes in hopes the person is someday able to be identified.
In contrast, Warco was emphatic that it is his policy to never release an unidentified body.
“I would never bury the body. I would never cremate an unidentified body,” Warco said. “I would maintain custody until they’re identified.”
Warco said bodies would be stored in a facility at Washington Cemetery. If the body were to remain unidenti-
fied, Warco would take steps to preserve it.
“What we would probably do at that point is keep them in our storing facility, and probably have the body embalmed for preservation,” Warco said.
If a person has been identified but the body goes unclaimed for 15 days, Warco said would then be cremated according to Washington County code.
Greene County Coroner Gene Rush said his office does not have any active cases of unidentified remains. In such an event, he would hold the body for 30 days before it is cremated.
According to Rush, it is impractical for the county to store a body for an extended period of time. “There are no facilities to do it with. We don’t have that capability,” Rush said.
Since the 1986 Fayette crash is such an old case, Baker said he does not have much knowledge of the incident,
tured a reading from a book compiled of congratulatory notes from Bethel Park Mayor Jack Allen, Gov. Josh Shapiro and state Rep. Natalie Mihalek. Luisi also received a certificate from Smucker’s, which sponsors a segment on “The Today Show” recognizing significant birthday milestones.
“It was a nice party,” Luisi said. “When you have family and friends all together, it’s a wonderful time.
“So, take care of yourself and you can live to be an old lady,” she said in her parting words of advice to the younger ones in the crowd.
and his office is not involved in the state police investigation.
But when there are unidentified remains, Baker said one of the first steps in the investigation is to collect a DNA sample.
If someone can’t be identified, coroners often turn to the public for help.
“If we don’t know, then I call the media, and the media has always been helpful to us,” Warco said.
Rush also said they would put out a notice to local media outlets for assistance.
All three coroners agreed that it is rare to have remains go unidentified for too long, and that cases tend to resolve quickly.
Both Baker and Warco pointed out that at one time, they had access to a police database with which to cross-reference information. They said the Pennsylvania State Coroners’ Association is currently lobbying to restore coroners’ access to The Pennsylvania Justice Network.
Organizations like NamUs provide information on cases like the ones in Fayette and Washington counties.
NamUs estimates about 4,400 unidentified bodies are recovered each year in the U.S., and about 1,000 of them remain unidentified after a year.
According to NamUs, authorities believe the remains in Washington County are those of a Black woman who would have been about 5 feet, 10 inches tall. She is believed to have died sometime in 2003. NamUs cites the specific location she was found as being a marsh between Whippoorwill Road and Route 22.
The woman who died in Uniontown in 1986 had no identification, and the driver’s family did not know her. She is believed to have been between the ages of 30 and 45 when the accident occurred, and is described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall, 170 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.
Her final resting place is an unmarked grave in the Oak Lawn Cemetery in Uniontown. The tombstone is engraved with only the year of her death, and the phrase, “God loves her.”
COURTESY OF PENNSYLVANIA STATE POLICE
An unmarked grave for the woman killed in a tractor-trailer crash in 1986 seen at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Uniontown
PHOTOS: ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
Angelina Luisi (left) is led into her 100th birthday celebration by Beth Ketterman, who is the director of activities at Provincial Senior Living Bethel Park, (center) and her daughter, Gina (right).
Angelina Luisi attempts to break a pinata during her birthday party.
While the tubes were under construction, many were already preparing for the impending economic shift.
“Several years before the tunnels were built, real estate agents were advertising those tunnels. It was one of the two most active times of housing construction – a tenfold increase in population at that time,” said Geoff Hurd, a volunteer at The Historical Society of Mt. Lebanon.
Hurd described Mt. Lebanon as transitioning from a trolley community to one that relied on automobiles as a result.
“It also made a significant investment in quality schools. That has been maintained, and is still one of the most attractive features of the community,” Hurd said.
According to Hurd, a group of Mt. Lebanon businessmen lobbied, successfully, for the southern end of the tunnel to connect to West Liberty Avenue. Hurd and Przybylek both said there was debate over whether the project would be funded publicly or privately.
Ultimately, Allegheny County paid for the project. A $6 million contract was awarded to Booth and Flinn, a former Pittsburgh construction firm, and Almos Davidson Neeld acted as the project’s lead engineer.
Four years later, work on the Liberty Bridge would be completed.
“It took a few more years for the artery to literally link directly with Downtown Pittsburgh in the configuration we know today,” Przybylek said.
It was not all smooth driving once the Liberty Tunnels opened, however. According to Hurd, a trolley driver strike led to an increase of people driving, and on May 10, 1924, a traffic jam in the tunnel and a buildup of carbon monoxide. This resulted in many people being hospitalized.
“They metered cars until a ventilation system could be completed,” Hurd said.
Ventilation is handled through the Liberty Tunnel fan house, which is situated on Secane Avenue on Mount Washington with
the direct center of the tunnels about 200 feet beneath it.
Paul Manyisha, tunnel manager for the state Department of Transportation, explained how this is unique among Pittsburgh’s tunnels.
“All the other locations have the fans and different electrical systems inside of the actual tunnel. This one is very unique where this building houses all of the electrical and fan systems,” Manyisha said.
Manyisha oversees the operations and budgets of Pittsburgh’s four tunnels. Other than the Liberty Tunnels, there are the Fort Pitt, Squirrel Hill and Stowe tunnels.
The fan house is as described – several rooms that house large, industrial fans. The building is recognizable by the large smoke stacks on the exterior.
In an emergency situation
Manyisha said tunnel main-
Several industrial fans help keep the Liberty Tunnels free of carbon monoxide.
JON ANDREASSI/ OBSERVER-REPORTER
tenance workers are trained first responders. If it’s necessary, they will descend into the tunnels from the fan house.
There are no stairs, mind you. Manyisha pointed out a small doorway workers enter to rappel down into the tubes.
“For a major incident, we will protect the scene and assist police when they arrive on scene. For us, traffic incident management is all about safe, quick clearance,” Manyisha said.
A century later, the Liberty Tunnels remain the most direct connection between Pittsburgh and the South Hills, where many communities thrived as a direct result of the tubes.
“The existence of the tunnels was entirely connected to this realization … The only chance for them to truly grow was to see better traffic infrastructure for the region,” Przybylek said.
Attn: New Arrivals, 122 S. Main St., Washington, PA 15301
to:
Raana Parchuri of Upper St. Clair was crowned champion of the 74th annual Western Pennsylvania Spelling Bee held recently at Point Park University. It makes the third time the Fort Couch Middle School student won the title and advanced to the national competition, which will be held May 28-30 in Washington, D.C. In addition to this year’s championship, Parchuri previously won in 2020 as a fourth-grader, and then again last year as a seventh-grader. In 2021, he finished second. This is the first time a student has become a three-time champion since 1999. An eighth-grader, Parchuri qualified for the regional spelling bee by finishing first at the school-level event. Other school-level winners from Upper St. Clair included Adelyn Stockton, Baker Elementary School; Eli Karambelkar, Eisenhower Elementary School; Alexander Li, Streams Elementary School; and Luka Beric, Boyce Middle School. The Western Pennsylvania Spelling Bee is open to students through grade 8 from throughout a 26-county region. This year, 77 local students participated in the regional qualifier. On March 24, the 16 finalists in the regional bee competed for more than two hours. The winning word was “phenology.”
Dimperio named CV interim superintendent
Dr. Joseph Dimperio has been appointed interim superintendent of the Chartiers Valley School District. Dimperio’s career in education spans more than 50 years in Pennsylvania public schools. He holds a juris doctor degree from Duquesne University, a doctorate in school administration, and a master’s in history and secondary education from the University of Pittsburgh. Additionally, he earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Franciscan University. Throughout his career, Dimperio has made significant contributions to the field of education. He has taught numerous college courses focusing on school law and legal issues with information technology, which have equipped educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of modern education.
real estate transactions
In addition to his teaching roles, Dimperio has served
as a civil arbitrator in the Court of Common Pleas in Allegheny County and as a special counsel, acting as a hearing officer for school districts in cases involving parent disputes and student matters.
“His leadership is essential for maintaining financial stability and professionalism, preserving educational quality, and fostering a sense of resilience within our school community.”
“We are thrilled to have Dr. Dimperio join the district,” said school board President Dr. Darren Mariano. “Dr. Dimperio brings a wealth of experience and passion for education.
Dr. Joseph Dimperio
Setting the standard
Lang wins Waldie scholarship
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor
ebailey@thealmanac.net
Jenna Lang packed plenty in four years at Bethel Park High School. She ran. She excelled in academics. She cheered on the athletics teams. She participated in clubs. Plus, she worked several part-time jobs.
All these activities polished the qualities distinctive to her character. So it wasn’t too difficult for the 18-year-old daughter of Jill and Dave Lang to compose a seven-page, 3,075word essay on the subject.
The submission earned her the Ken Waldie Memorial Scholarship. Lang will put the $16,000 stipend towards an education at Coastal Carolina University. Lang will major in early childhood education while also running cross country and track for the Chanticleers.
The scholarship honors Waldie, who perished on Sept. 11, 2001. He was a passenger on the first plane that crashed into the World Trade Center. A 1973 BP graduate, Waldie captained the swim team before going on to the Naval Academy where he served four years as class president.
“I think it is really important that we honor him,” Lang said. “He had to be very brave to go through something like that. We have had a lot of people die for this country and because of them we live in such a great country.”
While Lang had sat on Waldie’s memorial bench, located in the foray of the gymnasium, many times during her school days, she was “unfamiliar with his entire legacy” until she pursued the scholarship. The opportunity gave her a new appreciation for his story. It also enabled her to gain some insight into herself.
“While by no means do I compare myself to the many great traits and accomplishments that (Waldie) possessed, I feel I share some similarities,” Lang said. “I felt like I could relate to a lot of things he did because he was good at sports and he was hard-working. That’s a big trait you need in life or you are not going to get very far.
“Mr. Waldie sets the standard you want to follow, especially being a good and kind person whose face lights up a room with a smile. I want to be someone like that. I want to be known for deeds and not runs.”
Initially, Lang made her mark running. Her career started at age 3, when she entered the Brookline Breeze 5K race with her father, who played football at Brentwood High School. By age 7, she was beating her mother, who was All-West Virginia in cross country twice and was on New Martinsville’s state relay unit in high school. Lang ran cross country at St. Bernard’s Elementary School in Mt. Lebanon and raced in Hershey Track
Jenna Lang leads a pack of runners during a segment
Meets until she moved to Bethel Park in fourth grade. After a successful career with the Pacer Track Club, Lang made significant strides in high school. In fact, she is the only runner in Bethel Park school history to have qualified for the Pennsylvania state championships in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field during all four years of high school.
Lang set school standards for the indoor 800- and 1,600-meter runs with times of 2:16 and 5:01. She also was part of the record-setting 4x400 relay unit that included Artemis Conaboy, Lauren Heh and Sadie Orie. Her best individual showings were WPIAL runner-up and PIAA seventh-place medalist in cross country as well as eighth in the state for the indoor 800 meters and WPIAL runner-up in the 800 dash and mile in outdoor track.
“The most exciting moment in my (running) career was breaking the 4x4 school record. It came out of nowhere when we finally got it and put our names in the history books at Bethel Park, but through running, I have experienced many things that
Scholarship commemorates Waldie’s legacy
The Ken Waldie Memorial Fund, Inc was established by the Friends of Waldie Organization as a tribute to the Bethel Park High School graduate, who was tragically killed Sept. 11, 2001.
The group consists of classmates Steve McGinnis, Frank DelPercio, Terry Crump and Tom Etzel,
To date, Waldie’s classmates have awarded 23 Bethel Park High School students more than $160,000 to distinguished seniors for their college pursuits. Additionally, they have contributed to The Almanac’s Waldie/Shaeffer Scholarship Award from 2002-2017. There have been 15 Almanac winners. The fund and scholarship will end after the award’s 25th year. Waldie, who was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 11 that struck the first World Trade Center Tower, was a swimmer in high school and at the United States Naval Academy.
After fulfilling his five-year military commitment, Waldie used his mathematics degree to gain employment with Raytheon Corporation. While working, he earned a masters degree and graduated first in his class. Forty-six at the time of his death, Waldie left behind a wife, Carol, three sons, Andrew, Jeffrey and Jonathan, and a daughter, Meredith, along with a brother, Jack, and three sisters, Jane, Mary Louise and Grace. Visit: www.forukenny.com for more information on the scholarship or to submit an application for next year’s award.
Lily Duffill Delaney O’Connor
Softball players named
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net
Three players in The Almanac readership area earned all-state accolades from the Pennsylvania High School Softball Coaches Association. Lily Duffill and Delaney O’Connor
MLB honor
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor
Mason Miller will represent the Oakland A’s during the MLB All-Star Game to be played July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Midsummer Classic airs on Fox at 8 p.m.
“It’s exciting,” said Miller immediately after manager Mark Kotsay made the announcement during a team meeting inside the A’s clubhouse. “Through the highs and lows we go through, it’s super exciting to represent all you guys.
“This is what every player works for,” he added. “I appreciate it. It’s really an honor.”
Before becoming a flame-throwing closer, the rookie reliever encountered many trials, including being diagnosed with Type 1 juvenile diabetes in 2018 and suffering a UCL sprain in his right elbow last season. After helping Bethel Park win a section title as the ace on the 2016 squad, Miller enrolled at Waynesburg University. In two seasons, his ERA swelled to seven and he struggled with control of his pitches, walking many, as well as with his weight. The 6-foot5 right-handed pitcher tipped the scales at only 155 pounds. During the summer heading into his junior year, Miller was set to intern in the financial department for Allegheny Health Network. After a routine drug test, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Because his blood sugar levels hovered around 700 mg/dL (the normal range is between 80-120), he was hospitalized.
Because there is no cure for diabetes, Miller was equipped with an insulin pump and armed with alterations to his diet and lifestyle. The adjustments improved Miller’s pitching stats and restored his professional prospects.
“(Diabetes) was a blessing in disguise,” Miller had said. “I’m grateful it happened because that was when everything clicked.”
In the spring of 2019, his junior season at Waynesburg, Miller compiled an 8-2 record in 11 starts. He owned a 1.86 ERA, which is a single-season school record. Miller also struck out 97 batters in 67 2/3 innings. He led the President’s Athletic Conference in ERA, strikeouts, strikeouts looking, opponent batting average, complete games and shutouts.
Mason Miller Bethel Park’s Miller named to all-star roster
ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
in the WPIAL Class 3A cross country championships.
Despite a 5-14 season, Emerson Gatten from Peters Township gained second-team allstate honors at the Class 5A level. A rising senior, she played in the outfield for the Lady Indians. According to Tricia Alderson, who is a co-coordinator of the PAHSSBCA with Bill Simms, the team was selected from among 600 nominations from high school coaches and media members statewide.
A first team and second team was then voted on and chosen for each of the six classifications. In addition, the committee also voted on the following awards: Overall Player of the Year, Overall, Pitcher of the Year, and a Player and Pitcher of the Year in each of the six classifications. Among the local players to receive the top honors were Lexie Hames from Seneca Valley as player of the year and Addy Fryer from Neshannock as pitcher of the year for all classifications while Ella Richey from Charters-Houston gained the distinction of player of the year in Class 1A. A catcher, Richey also achieved first-team honors. Richey’s teammates: Meadow Ferri, a pitcher, and Lauren Rush, a shortstop, were first- and second-team selections respectively.
Additionally, South Park’s Sydney Sekely collected firstteam all-state acclaim as a pitcher in Class 3A.
The committee continued its Special Recognition Courage Award which was started last year. It honored one player in 2024 that overcame major adversity this high school season. Megan Klein, a senior from Bensalem, garnered the distinction after having been diagnosed with pediatric multiple sclerosis in March. She played the entire season while battling the disease and plans to continue her career at the Siena this fall.
Lang
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have shaped my character. I learned to trust my instincts and my heart and that my compassion and values for others should not be put on hold, not even for a race,” said Lang as she recalled a competition when a fallen runner needed assistance.
A team captain throughout her racing career, Lang demonstrated plenty of passion as she cheered for the Black Hawks at football games and basketball contests. She’s balanced that activity with
The Peters Township boys golf team recently placed 25th during the PGA High School Golf National Invitational. The Indians represented Pennsylvania in the competition.
PT golfers place 25th in national invitational
Peters Township placed 25th in the nation at the 2024 PGA Boys High School Golf Invitational held July 1-3 at the PGA Frisco campus and Home of the PGA of America.
The invite-only tournament field was made up of the top high school golfers across the country competing at the “Modern Home of American Golf.” It was a 3-day, 54-hole stroke play event including team and individual competition. Competition rounds took place on Fields Ranch East, which is the site of the 2027 PGA Championship, Fields Ranch West and WestRidge Golf courses under less than ideal conditions. Temperatures reached the upper 90s and the heat index soared to
running since she started competitive cheer at age 6.
“Cheerleading has always been fun and fall was my favorite time of the year but each has its pros and cons,” Lang said.
“Running is painful and hard on you mentally and physically but the pros are you can only get better and when you do well, you feel good about yourself. With cheering, there can be a lot of drama and it can be hard jumping around and screaming in the cold for hours when you have to get up the next day and run a 5K.
“Cheering is more exercise than people think. It’s fun though, cheering on the side-
110 degrees. There also were steady winds.
Playing as Team Pennsylvania because of their 2023 PIAA State Team Championship, the Indians opened competition with an 11-over par 299 on the WestRidge course in the play five count four scores team event.
Colton Lusk shot even par 72. Griffin Hansberry, Shane Williams and Nick Haught carded 74, 75 and 78 respectively. Ryan Watterson competed in round one shooting an 80 but had to withdraw from the event due to illness.
In round two on the Fields Ranch West course, PT shot a 314. Lusk led with a 74 followed by Haught (77), Hansberry (78) and Williams (85).
lines in front of the crowd and promoting school spirit.”
Lang also found time to maintain a 4.1 GPA in her advanced placement classes as well as join the National Honor Society while also holding down multiple parttime jobs. Since she was 15, she has labored as a babysitter and as an ice cream scooper at Kelley’s Dari Delite. She also volunteers at Bethel Presbyterian Church and works with children through a variety of programs.
Eighty percent of her wages were deposited into her college fund. Plus, she paid for her own car insurance once she learned how to drive.
In the final round on the PGA Frisco Fields Ranch East course which will host the 2025 KPMG Women’s PGA and the 2027 Men’s PGA Championships, PT posted a 308 score. Hansberry fired an even-par 72, followed by Lusk’s 76, Williams’ 77, and Haught’s 83.
Additionally, Ben Miller competed as an individual and was not eligible for team scoring shooting scores of 86, 83, 82.
In addition to the tournament, team members visited the new Home of the PGA America and were exposed to a variety of competitions.
The squad also competed in a putting competition at the 18- hole putting course “The Ronny ‘’ and played on
“I didn’t like that at all,” she said of her parents’ dictates.
“I wanted to buy clothes and other things with the money I earned, but it gave me an appreciation for the value of money, and what you have to do in life to save and pay bills.
“Through work, I also learned how to treat people in a kind, positive way,” she added. “So working does build character.
One hundred percent of her experiences, particularly her volunteer activities, prepared her for her career.
“That has given me confirmation for what I am going to do in college,” she concurred.
For Lang, sports as well as career choices by family mem-
the PGA Frisco’s lighted parthree course. Ben Miller won the putting competition.
“It was a great honor for our team to represent the state of Pennsylvania at the National Invitational”, PT head coach David Kuhn said.
“I’m very proud of how the boys fought through the adversity on new and challenging courses, the oppressive heat, and the steady winds.” Kuhn also acknowledged the camaraderie among all those in the program.
“Our team is very close and this event was certainly another way for the boys, their parents, and the coaching staff to tighten that bond and help to prepare us for the upcoming season,” he said.
bers confirmed life’s greatest lesson.
Her father is a police officer. When he began his career, he was based in Fairfax, Virginia and he observed the smoke coming from the Pentagon, which was also struck on 9/11. Her brother, Jake, enlisted in the United States Marine Corps upon graduation from Bethel Park in 2022. Deployed in the Middle East, his unit arrived on the USS New York, which was made of steel from the World Trade Center.
Peters Township returns all six starters from its record-setting 2023 WPIAL and PIAA championship clubs.
“We hope to defend both titles in 2024,” Kuhn said. He added that receiving an invitation to the national invitational was “quite an honor” since only the best high school teams and individuals were extended inclusion based on state championship performance.
“The event brings together a wide variety of golfers from nearly all 50 states. Public or private. Suburban or rural. Small or large,” Kuhn said. “All high school state championship teams, individuals, and their families were welcomed.”
“They never know what will happen and we don’t either. So you have to live life to the fullest. That’s one thing I have learned also through sports. Enjoy it. Sports are very stressful but there is more to life than just racing. There are going to be more stressful things to deal with. So don’t sweat the small stuff.
“There is always going to be stress and pressure to perform well. It’s how you manage, accept and deal with it that matters. Even if it’s hard, it will determine your success.”
“My dad, brother, people like Mr. Waldie and first responders put their lives on the line every day,” said Lang, who even tries to do her part by volunteering at the 9-11 Hero’s Run in North Park and with the Pittsburgh Police Mounted Patrol Unit.
Miller was named PAC Pitcher of the Week twice, a first-team All-PAC performer and gathered All-Region awards from both D3baseball. com and the American Baseball Coaches Association. Before it was cut short because of the coronavirus pan-
demic, his 2020 season was off to a similar start. In two outings, Miller went 2-0 over two complete games, 14 innings, with a 2.57 ERA, 24 strikeouts and a .160 opponent batting average. He was named PAC Pitcher of the Week during the first week of the season.
eligibility. So Miller enrolled at Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina. Miller posted an 8-1 record and forged a 3.30 ERA for the Bulldogs.
Miller led the Big South Conference and ranked 21st in the nation with 121 strikeouts.
While Miller graduated from Waynesburg with a degree in finance and a 3.9 GPA, the NCAA granted student-athletes an extra year of
After garnering multiple postseason honors, Miller was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the third round of the MLB amateur draft in 2021. He was the 97th pick.
After an impressive showing during spring training and coming off being named Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week, he made his MLB debut on April 19, 2023. In 4 1/3 innings, Miller struck out five, including the side in the first frame. He scattered four hits and allowed two earned runs. Of his 81 pitches, 51 were strikes and 16 were clocked at 100 mph or faster.
Miller went on to play in 10 more games, posting an 0-3 record with a 3.78 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 33.1 innings before being sidelined for four months with the arm injury.
This spring, he roared back. He leads all rookies with 14 saves while leading all MLB relievers with 66 strikeouts. He owns a 2.39 ERA. His fastball has been clocked at 100 mph or harder 278 times this season. His top speed has been 103.7. Those numbers are what earned Miller a spot in MLB’s showcase of stars and his hometown is thrilled for him.
“This is very exciting and well-deserved for Mason,” said Bethel Park High School baseball manager Patrick Zehnder. “He continues to excel on the field and carries himself so well off the field, too. He deserves success. So it is great to see.” Miller
sights & sounds
Giddyup!
Trigger the Wandering Horse makes his way around South Fayette
By Brad Hundt Staff writer
bhundt@observer-reporter.com
Look out! There’s a horse on the loose in South Fayette Township!
You could be traveling down the road, going around a bend, and you could see the horse up in someone’s yard, quietly keeping watch as vehicles pass by, or staring serenely off into a distant horizon.
But don’t worry – there’s no need to summon the authorities. The equine that has been leaving his hoofprints across South Fayette is Trigger the Wandering Horse, a 100-pound creature made of hollow resin. He doesn’t neigh, he doesn’t need hay, he doesn’t buck and he leaves behind not a single trace of manure. But Trigger has become such a beloved figure in the community that he now has his own Facebook page and a waiting list of families eager to have him graze in their front yard.
How did Trigger become such a beloved figure?
It all started when Trigger’s owner, Ray Mantia, moved to South Fayette from a beef cattle farm in the Avella area. He put Trigger out in front of his home on Hickory Grade Road, and would occasionally shift him around. When a neighbor took notice, Mantia moved the horse into his yard when he was on vacation as a joke.
But the beginning of local Triggermania really got started when students on passing school buses would take notice of Trigger’s movements. The horse became so popular that students would chant his name as they passed by.
Before too long, there were requests from families to have Trigger “graze” at their abodes, and Mantia has been happy to oblige. His sister also launched a Facebook page called, simply, Trigger the Wandering South Fayette Horse, where his travels can be tracked. It has close to 1,000 members.
“My sister started getting a few requests,” Mantia explained. It doesn’t
happening
CONCERTS
The Dean Streator Summer Concert Series continues with the New Vintage Big Band on July 14 and the Pittsburgh Banjo Club on July 21 at the Bethel Park Community Center, located on Park Avenue.
Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Concerts start at 2:30 p.m.
The series continues with the Allegheny Brass Band on July 28 and the Keystone Chorus on Aug. 4.
Admission is free, but contributions to the event sponsor, the Bethel Park Community Foundation, will be accepted. The foundation funds scholarships, and projects that benefit residents of Bethel Park in the areas of arts and culture, health and recreation, education and safety. Call 412-851-2910 for additional information.
FLEA MARKET
The Church of the Atonement will hold its Flea Market On The Lawn from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on July 20 at 618 Washington Ave. in Carnegie. Among items for sale are precious coins and metals; hand-made baby quilts, fabrics and patterns; plants and a patio umbrella. Call 412-276-0366 for more details. Rain date is July 27.
cost anything to have Trigger in your yard, and Mantia doesn’t mind loading up Trigger on his flatbed trailer and hauling him over at 3 a.m., so families can wake up and see it.
“If it brings a smile to somebody’s face, then it’s worth it,” Mantia said on a sweltering recent afternoon when Trigger was stationed at the Hastings Community for a child’s birthday celebration. “The kids like to think that it’s galloping, so we move it under the cover of darkness.”
“Trigger is like a grassroots mascot for South Fayette Township, and it’s cool that people feel unbridled joy to see him,” said Andrea Iglar, the township’s director of communications and
community development. “It’s something fun the community can share.”
Iglar noted that Trigger was invited to Joy-Thru Fairview, a holiday lights event at Fairview Park last December, “and people enjoyed seeing him all lit up for the festivities.”
It’s not known precisely how old Trigger is, but his origins stretch back to a horse farm in Perryopolis that he stood out in front of. Mantia’s sister purchased the farm and had no need for the horse, but Mantia couldn’t quite bear the thought of Trigger being, shall we say, put out to pasture. So, he set about restoring it, pressure washing, sanding and painting it. The name Trigger was bestowed on him to hon-
or the horse that singer and actor Roy Rogers used for his steed in his movies and radio show.
Stephen Kancel had Trigger in his yard on Christine Court last Fourth of July, where he was decked out in a patriotic hat and given a bale of hay.
“Lo and behold, Trigger showed up after it had been at our neighbor’s house,” Kancel explained. “A lot of people would stop by and take pictures in our yard.”
He added, “It’s a neat thing to be a part of.” And there’s no sign that Trigger is slowing down anytime soon.
“It’s unbelievable to me that so many people enjoy it and request it,” Mantia said.
PT WALK
A Save Peters Lake Community Walk will be held July 21 beginning at Shelter B in Rolling Hills Park. Registration is at 9 a.m. The walk starts at 10. The event is to show appreciation for the lake as well as to advocate against proposed development. Email lndiiulio@gmail. com for more details.
CHABAD EVENTS
A summer barbeque party will be held at 4:30 p.m. July 21 at Chabad of the South Hills new location at 1700 Bower Hill Rd. There will be life-size lawn games, bubbles and toddler fun, grand minute to win it contest, crafts as well as food and drink. Fee is $15/person $45 family max. Price increase on July 18. RSVP to: Chabadsh.com/summerbbq
The annual senior carnival will be held at noon on July 24 at Chabad of the South Hills. A picnic-style lunch will be served and there will be interactive games, summer fun and bubbles. The event is wheelchair accessible. Suggested donation is $5. RSVP by July 19 to 412-2782658.
A “Paint, Sip, Relax” event for ladies will be held at 7 p.m. July 24 at the new location at 1700 Bower Hill Road. Women can create a painting and enjoy friendship
while sipping kosher wine and other refreshments. Admission is $25 ($30 after July 19). Call 412-344-2424 for more details.
The Gate of Trust is the topic for the women’s summer learning series to be held at 11 a.m. Mondays, July 22 and 29 as well as Aug. 8 at the Chabad location on Bower Hill Road. Suggested donation is $18. RSVP to batya@chabadsh.com
PCAF SET
The Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival will be held Aug. 2325 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Green Tree. The three-day event features activities, classes and merchandise to purchase for knitters, quilters and those who crochet.
Admission tickets can be purchased online at: http:// www.pghknitandcrochet. com/
LEBO REUNION
The Mt. Lebanon Class of 1984 will hold its 40th reunion Sept. 20-22 at a variety of locations.
Friday’s schedule includes high school tours from 2:45 to 4 p.m., and buffet dinner from 6 to 10 p.m. at Cefalo’s Banquet Center for $75 per person. Visit: myevent.com/ Lebo84 for reservations. Saturday’s schedule includes Mediterra brunch on Beverly Road as well as stops at
Primanti Brothers and The Saloon. Sunday’s events center around attending the Steelers game against the Chargers at 1 p.m.
The organizing committee has booked a block of 15 rooms for $159 per night at the Crowne Plaza, located on Fort Couch Road. For more details on any of the events, email mpattersonmd@gmail.com or rdfinkel@yahoo.com.
MAD SCIENCE
Three summer camps will be offered through Mad Science and the Peters Township recreation department: ■ Science surprise for ages 4 to 6 from July 15 to 19.
■ Underground explorers for ages 5 to 12 from July 29 to Aug. 12.
■ Red hot robots for ages 5 to 12 from Aug. 12 to 16. Fee is $186 ($279 for nonmembers).
Visit: www.peterstownship. com or call 724-942-5000 to register or more details.
PT REC
The Peters Township parks and recreation program offers the following events. To register or for more details call 724-942-5000 or visit www.peterstownship.com:
■ Day camp from 9 a.m. to noon for ages 7 to 11 at
Shelter 4 in Peterswood Park, located at 700 Meredith Drive.The Olympics are the theme from July 22-26.
■ A fire safety day camp will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Aug. 12-14 in Shelter A at Rolling Hills Park. Fee is $30 ($45 nonresidents).
■ Jump Start Sports is offering basketball camps on Mondays beginning July 15 for ages 3 to 6 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and for ages 7 to 9 from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. Fee is $100 ($150 nonmembers).
Players learn the basics of dribbling, passing, shooting, positioning, defense and rebounding.
■ Outside the Lines. This art week runs from 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 5-9 for ages 6 to 12. Fee is $265 ($398 nonmembers).
CHURCH TOUR
Old Saint Luke’s Church, located at 330 Old Washington Pike, will be open for tours when Woodville Plantation celebrates Whiskey Rebellion Day on July 21. For more details about the open house visit www.facebook. com/oldstlukes1765/.
The plantation, which is located at 1375 Washington Pike, will kick off its event at noon with a flag raising. At 1 p.m. there will be a reenactment of fighting at Bower Hill of the battle fought July 16, 1794. There will also be
a school of learning about being a soldier. A musket firing demonstration occurs at 2:30 followed by another reenactment at 3. The Legion will lecture on what is in a soldier’s knapsack at 4. Music of the regiment will be performed at 4:30 and the flag will be lowered at 5 p.m., ending the event. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children.
The Neville House will also be open for tours. Refreshments will be available for purchase.
Visit woodville-experience. org or call 412-221-0348 for more information.
FLEA MARKET
The Labouré Ladies Guild of St. Catherine Labouré Parish will hold its annual flea market “Timeless Treasures” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 19 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 20 at St. Louise deMarillac Church in the LeGras Parish Center (lower level), 320 McMurray Road. Sale items will include jewelry, gently used children’s clothing to size 6, toys, decorative items, knick knacks, kitchen items, holiday decorations, linens, tools, books, some furniture and more. There will also be a boutique offering better quality items. Due to fire restrictions, strollers are not permitted inside the center.
Ray Mantia stands alongside Trigger, his hollow resin horse that can be sighted throughout South Fayette Township.
