P-G: Improvement most important thing for Mount Lebanon girls basketball coach Oldaker

When a three-time defending PIAA Class AAAA state champion gets stunned in an early-season game, it's crucial to put the game in the past and move ahead.

That's what Mt. Lebanon girls' basketball coach Dori Oldaker is teaching her team following a stunning 60-52 loss to defending WPIAL Class AA champion Seton-LaSalle on the Rebels' floor on Dec. 15.

"We talk about success being a stairway and not a doorway," said Oldaker, who is taking her 4-1 team to Miami for the Junior Orange Bowl Classic at Ronald Reagan High School in Doral, Fla., this week. "We're looking to improve each day."

Read the full article:

• sportstown.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/mt-lebanon/28560-improvement-most-important-thing-for-mount-lebanon-girls-basketball-coach-oldaker (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Almanac: Mt. Lebanon Veterans Memorial gets boost from Duquesne Light

It was a bright occasion at the Dec. 13 Mt. Lebanon Commission meeting when Duquesne Light Company CEO Richard Riazzi presented former Pittsburgh Steeler and Mt. Lebanon Veterans Memorial Chairman Rocky Bleier a check for $220,000 to fund the lighting component of the Mt. Lebanon Veterans Memorial.

Also on hand to receive the donation were memorial chairman Dan Gigler and commission president Daniel Miller. Dubbed the "Power of Light," the donation will go to the installation of a lighted flag, flagpole and the installation of several hundred in-ground lights to pay tribute to Korean War, Vietnam War and World War II veterans from Mt. Lebanon.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/12-21-2011-ML-vets-memorial (The Almanac)

P-G: New Mt. Lebanon budget includes tax increase

Mt. Lebanon commissioners approved a $33.2 million operating budget Tuesday that increases the real estate tax rate.

The commission approved raising the rate by 0.67 mill, to a total of 5.43 mills. As the budget stands now, property owners will pay $543 next year for a home valued at $100,000, up from $476 in 2011.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11356/1198462-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: 9-year-old gets room of her own

When the Fagan family asked their Allegheny Center Alliance Church community about reputable contractors for an addition to their home, they didn't know their fellow parishioners would end up serving as the builders.

David and Jennifer Fagan's 9-year-old daughter, Sierra, was born with multiple birth defects that have left her with significant physical and mental disabilities. The medical equipment and special furniture to accommodate Sierra's needs fit only in the family's dining room, which has longtime served as her makeshift room.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11356/1198459-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon to upgrade website soon

Mt. Lebanon will debut two significant improvements to its website next year, changes that planners say will modernize and streamline its online offerings.

A services portal that will allow residents to submit requests and report concerns online will begin the first part of a two-phase launch late this month or in early January.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11356/1198458-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Grieving man urges forgiveness to wife's killer

Brett Styles implored the young man who killed his wife and the mother of their three young children in a terrible accident last year to make something of his life.

"While difficult, I know that Ben Cope deserves my forgiveness," Mr. Styles said at the end of his lengthy victim-impact statement Friday. "After his punishment has concluded, he has his whole life in front of him, and I urge him to make the most of it."

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11351/1197617-55-0.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon driver get 1-2 years in jail for killing jogger

The man who struck and killed a mother jogging with her two young children last year in Mt. Lebanon was ordered to the Allegheny County Jail this morning.

Benjamin T. Cope, 21, convicted of involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence and recklessly endangering in September, was sentenced to serve from one year less one day to two years less two days incarceration.

The odd wording of the sentence allows Mr. Cope to serve the sentence at Allegheny County Jail.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11350/1197353-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Effort may be first here to use Twitter to help people in need

To provide needy families with a meal during the holidays, St. Clair Hospital in Mt. Lebanon has launched a campaign to raise money for a local nonprofit's suburban poverty program via the popular social media program, Twitter.

Through its #Tweet2Help drive, which began Tuesday, St. Clair Hospital will donate 50 cents to the South Hills Interfaith Ministry for every retweet of the original message from its @StClairHospital Twitter account. The goal is to raise $1,000 for Interfaith and put food on the table for 50 local families this season.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11349/1196906-55.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

KDKA: Volunteers Come Together To Build ‘Sierra’s Room’

The Fagan family’s yard in Mount Lebanon is filled with builders.

Dave Fagan, a volunteer fire fighter, is joined by dozens of colleagues, fellow church members, and people he’d never met before.

They’ve come to build an addition – a room for Dave and Jennifer Fagan’s little daughter, Sierra. Weighing just 37 pounds, she’s a 9-year-old with special needs.


Read the full article (with video):

• pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2011/12/14/volunteers-come-together-to-build-sierras-room (KDKA)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon High School renovation bids within budget

Mt. Lebanon School District officials were relieved Wednesday afternoon that the second round of bids for the high school renovation and reconstruction project seems to be within the $113.27 million budget.

"They looked good. There were a lot of people smiling this time," said Superintendent Timothy Steinhauer.

Read the full article:

• www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_772040.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Phony Mt. Lebanon doctor charged anew in 'pill mill' case

Steven Massof, the Mt. Lebanon man who admitted to passing himself off as a doctor and performing illegal abortions, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday on charges of participating in a thriving "pill mill."

Massof, 49, who remains in jail awaiting sentencing on third-degree murder and conspiracy charges, is accused of writing 30 illegal prescriptions for painkillers and sedatives between December 2006 and July 2007 from the abortion clinic where he worked in Philadelphia.

Read the full article:

• www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_772090.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Irish-style pub Molly Brannigans closes in Mt. Lebanon

Molly Brannigans, the popular Irish-themed pub in Mt. Lebanon, has closed.

Employees received the word on Sunday, the day after the bar's final night of business. The space could soon be occupied by another restaurant, Walnut Grill, which bought the building and the business from Molly Brannigans, according to the pub's CEO, Colm McWilliams.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11348/1196759-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Police look for teen struck in Mt. Lebanon hit-and-run

Mt. Lebanon police are asking the public to help them find a teenage girl who was hit by a car today and walked away from the scene of the crash.

Police said they want to make sure the girl did not suffer from serious injuries.

Police received a call at about 3:40 p.m. today for a report that a red Ford Escort LX struck a teenage girl at the intersection of Washington and Bower Hill roads, causing the girl to roll onto the hood of the car before falling to the ground.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11347/1196590-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Two hurt in fire in Mt. Lebanon

Two people were injured in a fire that broke out late Saturday at an apartment/condominium complex in Mt. Lebanon. Officials believe the blaze was started by a cigarette.

Mt. Lebanon Deputy Fire Chief Chris Buttlar said a dozen people were displaced by the fire that started at about 11:30 p.m. at the Baywood Terrace complex.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/pg/11345/1196231-100.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: PIAA girls basketball champ Mt. Lebanon roll in opener

Three-time PIAA Class AAAA champion Mt. Lebanon is expected to go through a rebuilding campaign this season.

But the Blue Devils picked up where they left off last season with a 79-33 rout Friday night of Fox Chapel in the Bethel Park round-robin tournament.

Read the full article:

• www.postgazette.com/pg/11344/1195983-361.stm (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon Hospital to help through Tweets

St. Clair Hospital is asking Tweeters to help South Hills Interfaith Ministries provide holiday meals for needy people by participating in the hospital's upcoming #Tweet2Help drive.

SHIM, based in Bethel Park, is a nonprofit human services organization providing family and children services to the suburban poor and to refugee families living in the South Hills.

Read the full article:

• www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_770841.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon carries title torch without stars

Kelly Johnson doesn't have a problem sharing. It was easy to defer an open shot when Madison Cable was on the court.

"When she was on, she was on," the Mt. Lebanon point guard said of the graduated All-American and current Notre Dame freshman. "You know it, and you don't want to take that shot."

But with Cable and high-energy point guard Anna Kestler beginning their collegiate careers this season — becoming the third and fourth Blue Devils to move on to Division I schools the past two years -- the onus of leadership falls to Johnson and Mt. Lebanon's other returning starters, Emma Pellicano and Liz Tommasi.

Read the full article:

• www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/highschool/s_769814.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon students learn catering from a classroom

Mt. Lebanon High School student Alex Blue deftly wielded a pair of forks to lift a fresh pizzelle cookie from the steaming iron press, maneuvering the traditional Italian dessert to a cooling rack before dropping another two dollops of batter onto the iron and easing it shut.

Meanwhile, school staffer Gayle Hess swapped sheets of fresh-baked chocolate and chocolate-chip cookies in and out of a well-worn oven, and student Max Chaney packaged finished cookies for sale at 50 cents per baggie.

Read the full article:

• www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_769526.html (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Tray Talk: Pennsylvania Schools Put the Spotlight on Fresh Produce

In Mt. Lebanon School cafeterias fresh fruits and vegetables are the main attraction. The Pennsylvania school district’s new elementary lunch program features unlimited fruit and vegetable choices, the middle schools are sporting new salad bars and the high school offers daily entrée salads and delicious specialty choices like Broccoli Salad, Three Bean Salad and Orange Fennel Salad.

Read the full article:

• www.traytalk.org/school-nutrition-success-stories/ (Tray Talk)

The Almanac: Blood drive set to help youth hockey coach

When Bob and Joanne Feyche learned Mt. Lebanon Hornets' coach Ken Mace was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) they, like the rest of the regional hockey community, were devastated.

"Ken coached my son for six years," said Mr. Feyche. "In fact, four boys, including Ken's son, Brett, and my son have played together continuously under Ken."

Now, Mace, while he awaits treatment, is getting a good dose of teamwork from his allies. The Hornets will sponsor a blood drive and bone marrow screening from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center, directly above the ice rink.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/sportstory11/11-30-2011-Ken-Mace (The Almanac)