Trib: Stonemason’s legacy etched on communities, lives

As a craftsman and master stonemason, John Petrelli left his mark in the churches, schools, parks, homes and cemeteries of numerous South Hills neighborhoods.

In his hometown of Mt. Lebanon, Mr. Petrelli’s construction of the masonry walls of the library were considered a testimonial to his skills.

John J. Petrelli of Mt. Lebanon, former owner of A. Petrelli & Sons in Scott, died on Sunday, July 22, 2012, in St. Clair Hospital. He was 87.

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• www.triblive.com/news/2270915-74/petrelli-lebanon-daughter-john-donna-american-bethel-clair-college-considered (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon delays Washington Road restrictions

Officials in Mt. Lebanon are postponing the planned closure of three lanes of Washington Road due to delays in getting a massive construction crane shipped to the site.

Crews had planned to reduce Washington Road to a single lane alternating between northbound and southbound traffic. The change would have been in effect from 7 p.m. Friday to 11 a.m. Saturday for the arrival and setup of a 160-foot-tall crane at the site of a SpringHill Suites that is under construction near the intersection of Shady Drive.

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• www.triblive.com/news/2282080-74/crane-washington-road-lane-northbound-lebanon-closed-construction-planned-site (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Technology provided '4 Kids with Cancer'

For the Conover family of Mt. Lebanon, the heartbreak of losing a child to cancer has been eased slightly by an idea born during their son's illness, accomplished after his death and that is today helping children cope with illness while still being what they are -- children.

Along with Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, the family will mark the 10th "birthday" of "Matt's Media 4 Kids with Cancer" and its partner Ansys, Inc. of Cecil at 11 a.m. July 26 on the ninth floor of the hospital.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/technology-provided-4-kids-with-cancer-646323 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon school officials given raises

Mt. Lebanon school board raised administrative salaries in June an average of 3 percent. The increases are based on evaluations that determine whether each administrator far exceeds, meets, approaches or does not meet the expectations of his or her job category.

Those who met expectations received a 3 percent raise. Those who approached meeting expectations saw a 1.5 percent raise, and those who far exceeded expectations saw a 4.5 percent increase, said district spokeswoman Cissy Bowman.

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• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/mt-lebanon-school-officials-given-raises-646316 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Teacher moves into Mt. Lebanon administrative office

After nine years in the Keystone Oaks School District as a high school English teacher and assistant to the middle school principal, Erin Wright is moving on to a new job and another -- albeit neighboring -- district.

On Wednesday she becomes unit principal at neighboring Mt. Lebanon High School in charge of discipline and attendance. Ms. Wright, 32, also will serve as administrative liaison to the director of student activities.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/a-newsmaker-you-should-know-teacher-moves-into-mt-lebanon-administrative-office-646317 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon investing $2.5 million to save energy

Mt. Lebanon is borrowing about $2.5 million to make energy-saving improvements around town, and the company installing them is guaranteeing that the improvements will pay for themselves.

Linc Services of Canonsburg will install LED streetlights in the Uptown business district; upgrade other lighting around the municipality; upgrade the heating systems at the Public Safety building on Washington Road; and make major improvements at the Recreation Center and ice rink off Cedar Boulevard, said municipal Manager Steve Feller.

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• www.triblive.com/neighborhoods/2197204-74/improvements-linc-bonds-energy-pay-savings-heating-ice-municipality-center (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Cooking up new cafeteria menus in Mt. Lebanon schools

Orange and fennel salad, fruit blossoms and Mediterranean couscous may not sound like typical school lunch fare.

But food service officials in Mt. Lebanon hope that by offering creative, nutritious dishes like these, they'll encourage kids to eat healthier under new federal regulations for school lunches taking effect this month.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/cooking-up-new-cafeteria-menus-in-mt-lebanon-schools-646318 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Lane of Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon to close through September

One northbound lane of Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon will be closed starting 9 a.m. Tuesday through the end of September.

The lane will be closed for about 10 weeks, ending about Sept. 28, so crews can build a crane platform and staging area for the forthcoming SpringHill Suites by Marriott hotel at 611 Washington Road.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/lane-of-washington-road-in-mt-lebanon-to-close-through-september-645888 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Almanac: ML residents oppose turfing fields

Mt. Lebanon is considering an upgrade to the municipality’s athletic fields, but the idea does not please some Mt. Lebanon residents.

At the commissioners meeting July 10, residents spoke against plans to lay artificial turf on two connecting fields to Dixon Field called Wildcat and Middle fields. The fields are directly next to each other and across the parking lot from Dixon Field. According to commissioner Kristen Linfante, the turfed fields combined would make for a large single, multi-purpose field that could accommodate multiple sports at any given time. The fields, used by the Mt. Lebanon Baseball Association and the Mt. Lebanon Girls Softball Association, currently have grass.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/07-19-2012-Ml-fields (The Almanac)

The Almanac: ML welcomes PT students to advanced math course

The Mt. Lebanon school board unanimously approved a distance learning initiative at its July 16 meeting, paving the way for six Peters Township high school students to take an advanced math class via videoconference.

The Peters students will attend Mt. Lebanon's 2012-2013 Linear Algebra course alongside 17 of their Mt. Lebanon peers.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/07-18-2012-ML-PT-math-exchange (The Almanac)

P-G: Youngsters dive in with the Mt. Lebanon Piranhas and Aqua Club

Dipping one's toe in the water as a Piranhas Swim Team member can be the kickoff to more than a day at the beach.

"Kids fall in love with the Aqua Club, which leads to year-round involvement with swimming and a lifelong love of the sport," Piranhas coordinator Jill Smolenski said.

Her daughter, Katie, progressed from "a kid splashing around in the water to being a swimmer," she said.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/youngsters-dive-in-with-the-mt-lebanon-piranhas-and-aqua-club-645354 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

WTAE: Mt. Lebanon: Then and Now

WTAE did a wonderful segment on Mt. Lebanon on Wednesday as part of their "Then and Now" series. Margaret Jackson, a municipal employee and former president of the Historical Society of Mt. Lebanon was interviewed and did a fantastic job sharing the history of our municipality.

Watch the video:

• www.wtae.com/news/Mt-Lebanon-Then-and-Now/-/9681432/15597280/-/68tw7n/-/index.html (WTAE)

The Almanac: Repairs keep aging pool afloat

The outdoor public pool in Mt. Lebanon is showing its age. Water is beginning to circle the drain as the pumps, filters and other mechanics in the 35-year-old aluminum pool are starting to wear.

A circulating pump broke July 1, one of the hottest days of the year. The pump, unfortunately, could not be repaired and it took 24 hours to have a new one installed.

Read the full article:

• www.thealmanac.net/alm/story11/07-11-2012-ML-pool (The Almanac)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon pool patting ends with jail for Chinese national

A Chinese national is in the Allegheny County Jail this afternoon on charges that he inappropriately patted two children on the buttocks while they were swimming in a Mt. Lebanon pool.

Police on Thursday charged Ruijia Wang, 58, with two counts of indecent assault after multiple people at the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center said Mr. Wang patted a 13-year-old boy once on the buttocks while the boy was hanging onto the edge of the pool and once while the boy was trying to get out of it.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/mt-lebanon-pool-patting-ends-with-jail-for-chinese-national-644591 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: State Rep. Smith running for Senate seat against Raja

State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, said he is running for the state Senate seat vacated last month by Sen. John Pippy, R-Moon.

Smith will face Republican D. Raja, a businessman and former Mt. Lebanon commissioner, in the November election. Raja ran unsuccessfully for county executive last year. Smith also plans to seek re-election to his House seat.

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/news/2201322-74/smith-raja-seat-state-election-lebanon-senate-fontaine-month-rep (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Study: Extra Mt. Lebanon real estate would cost $36.4M

It would cost about $36.4 million to create 1.2 acres of prime real estate and four stories of parking seemingly in mid-air within Mt. Lebanon’s Uptown business district, according to an engineering study released this week.

Los Angeles-based AECOM studied cost and feasibility of building a pair of steel and concrete “decks” up above the Port Authority light-rail tracks and station that run behind the Washington Road business district, with the idea that developers could build offices, condominiums and retail on the decks. Company representatives presented their findings to the board of commissioners on July 10.

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/neighborhoods/2175696-74/decks-lebanon-business-rail-station-aecom-build-district-authority-cost (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon's gentlemen's garden tour shows a male perspective on planting

Larry, Harry or neighbor Gary, how does your garden grow? With native plants and stone walls and maybe veggies in a row.

It's not that simple, of course. Yards reflect more a gardener's personality than his or her gender. But guys do seem to garden differently than women. Don't believe it? Then check out the Mt. Lebanon Library Garden Tour on Sunday or the Greenridge Garden Club tour next Saturday.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/garden/mt-lebanon-and-greenridge-tours-highlight-how-men-orchestrate-their-gardens-with-hardscaping-643667 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Soldier support started small but quickly gained traction

When Kristen Holloway Querriera asked a friend's brother what would make his deployment in Iraq more comfortable, he said help with the sweltering heat -- which frequently soars to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

So, the Mt. Lebanon woman asked friends and family to donate $25 apiece to purchase moisture-wicking apparel for the soldiers in the man's 49-member platoon.

Donations poured in and the entire company of 117 soldiers was sent clothing and enough funds were left over to also buy personal hygiene items and snacks.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/a-newsmaker-you-should-know-soldier-support-started-small-but-quickly-gained-traction-644387 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon Light rail center to go above, beyond

Plans for a mixed-use building and parking garage near the Mt. Lebanon Light Transit Rail station are still in the early stages, but local leaders already are calling the project the major development opportunity for the municipality.

Municipal planners and representatives from AECOM, an engineering company, presented the plan for the Transit Revitalization Investment District to commissioners Tuesday night after almost a decade of conversations about how to develop the area between Washington Road and Shady Drive East.

Read more:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/mt-lebanon-light-rail-center-to-go-above-beyond-644286 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Mt. Lebanon pair seek national titles

The Mt. Lebanon High School wrestling team will be well represented at the USA Wrestling National Championships.

Kevin Kinyua qualified for Junior Nationals, while Sean Perri qualified for Cadet Nationals, which will take place Friday through July 21 at the Fargodome on the campus of North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D.

Read more:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/high-school-other/south-xtra-mt-lebanon-pair-seek-national-titles-644303 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: District awaits word on campaign for Mt. Lebanon High School renovations

Mt. Lebanon School District should know by the end of summer whether it has enough support to collect private donations to help pay for the high school renovation project.

In March, the district hired fundraising consulting firm Pursuant Ketchum, which is studying whether the district has a compelling case, sufficient donors and volunteers, and the proper timing for the campaign. A successful campaign means the district could circumvent a second bond issue for the $109.6 million construction project.

Read more:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/district-awaits-word-on-campaign-for-mt-lebanon-high-school-renovations-644282 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Trib: Pippy’s seat to remain vacant

There will be no special election to fill the six months remaining in state Sen. John Pippy’s unexpired term, Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley announced on Tuesday.

The seat will remain vacant, and the successor for Pippy, R-Moon, will be chosen in the Nov. 6 general election.

Pippy, 41, resigned upon voting for the state budget on June 30 and went to work as CEO of the Pennsylvania Coal Alliance.

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/news/2183960-74/election-pippy-special-cawley-state-holding-seat-session-weeks-ballot (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

P-G: Athlete of the year: Luke Hagy

Luke Hagy now keeps company with Neil Walker and Terrelle Pryor.

No, Hagy is not suddenly buddies with Walker and Pryor, but in the room of great athletes from southwestern Pennsylvania, Hagy now sits at the same table.

h Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/high-school-other/athlete-of-the-year-luke-hagy-643742 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Curtain rising on first phase of repairs to Denis Theatre

The first of two phases of construction on the Denis Theatre in Mt. Lebanon is set to begin this summer.

The Denis Theatre Foundation plans to open the first of three planned movie screens in 2013 and complete infrastructure renovations on the 74-year-old theater in the first phase.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/curtain-rising-on-first-phase-of-repairs-to-denis-theatre-643493 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: After 7-year hiatus, Lebo grad a hit with Bellevue

Brad Russell had not picked up a baseball bat or saw live pitching since 2005 when he got the call from a friend this spring asking if he wanted to join the Bellevue team in the Greater Pittsburgh Federation League.

When Russell last played, he was helping lead the Clairton Orioles to a Federation League championship against St. Johns Lambros.

After seven years away from the league, Russell has discovered that not too much has changed.

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/more-sports/southnorth-xtra-after-7-year-hiatus-lebo-grad-a-hit-with-bellevue-643523/#ixzz20tc0rQkj (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

P-G: Ordinance tries to deter Mt. Lebanon deer

Mt. Lebanon commissioners voted Monday to prohibit residents from feeding deer in the municipality.

The new ordinance, introduced two weeks ago by Commissioner Kristen Linfante, goes into effect July 8.

Ms. Linfante said the rule was a step in the right direction but acknowledged, "I do not think this is going to get rid of our deer problem."

Read the full article:

• www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/ordinance-tries-to-deter-mt-lebanon-deer-642327/ (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Patch: Do You Have What It Takes?

What started as a Mt. Lebanon initiative could now benefit Dormont.

The Citizens Fire Academy will be held at the Mt. Lebanon Public Safety Center this fall, and this year, Mt. Lebanon has asked the fire departments of Dormont and Castle Shannon to join in.

“We’re all excited about it,” said Dormont VFD Deputy Chief Jeff Arnold. “Right now our membership is down and we’re trying to come up with a way to get people’s interest up. This is a good way to do it.”

Read the full article:

• dormont-brookline.patch.com/articles/do-you-have-what-it-takes (Dormont-Brookline Patch)

Trib: Mt. Lebanon games draw generations together

High school seniors and senior citizens can face off in Mt. Lebanon in the third annual “Intergenerational Games” Saturday at the new Salvation Army Community Center.

Sponsored by the nonprofit Mt. Lebanon Village, which helps aging residents remain in their homes and independent, the day of games, physical activity, food and music should draw about 200 people, said Village board member Larry Evans.

“It’s a lot of easy does-it games, done in the spirit of bringing young people and older people together,” Evans said. “The idea is, you bring the family out and you run grandpa around all day.”

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/news/2056614-74/lebanon-games-run-army-bring-center-citizens-draw-evans-family (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Patch: 'Nuns on the Bus' Tour Stops in Mt. Lebanon to Protest Federal Budget

To make sure her followers got her message loud and clear, Sister Simone Campbell had them repeat it: “Reasonable revenue for responsible programs.”

That’s the Cliff’s Notes version of the federal budget proposition put forth by the group of women traveling through nine states, calling themselves Nuns on the Bus for their mode of transportation.

“There’s an alternative. It’s called the Faithful Budget,” Campbell said Wednesday afternoon following the nuns’ stop to speak with staff members at the Mt. Lebanon office of U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair. “It has 55 pages. That’s a little daunting when you’re trying to do a sound bite, but I can it to you in five words, and we’re going to learn real fast.”

Read the full article:

• sewickley.patch.com/articles/nearby-nuns-on-the-bus-tour-stops-in-mt-lebanon-to-protest-federal-budget (Sewickley Patch)

Trib: Colin McNickle's Essay on Mt. Lebanon Deer

Mt. Lebanon officials held a secret meeting this month with the president of Amalgamated Deer Stampeders, Plant Eaters & Disease Spreaders Local 100.

They warned union boss Stag Cervidae that popular sentiment against the South Hills community's unchecked deer population has turned ugly.

"Lots of people want to shoot you," one official told Mr. Cervidae.

"You wouldn't dare," the 10-point buck boss snorted.

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/opinion/2006868-74/official-cervidae-deer-community-done-stag-boss-knees-lebanon-slapping (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

Trib: Mt. Lebo native ready for Olympic swim team trials

She’ll be among the youngest swimmers at next week’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but Leah Smith has done everything she can over the past year to prepare herself for the biggest meet of her life.

She’s ready for the stage, if not exactly the arena.

“I’ve seen pictures of CenturyLink Center,” the 17-year-old freestyle specialist said of the Omaha, Neb., venue that greeted more than 160,000 spectators the last time it hosted the weeklong event in 2008. “I’ve never swam in front of more than 500 people, so it will be a lot different.”

Read the full article:

• www.triblive.com/sports/2074648-85/smith-olympic-team-trials-100-200-freestyle-400-leah-native (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)

WTAE: Township's decision to shoot off fireworks from cemetery upsets residents

Mt. Lebanon Township’s decision to shoot off Fourth of July fireworks from a local cemetery has sparked anger among some residents.

Amy Jo Krystek said her husband’s favorite holiday was the Fourth of July, and when she went to visit his grave at Mt. Lebanon Cemetery on Wednesday, she was told she couldn’t because the cemetery had been closed to set up for the fireworks.

“My heart fell to my shoes because I miss my husband and I wanted to celebrate the day with him like I usually did,” said Krystek, whose husband passed away six years ago.

Read the full article:

• www.wtae.com/news/local/allegheny/Township-s-decision-to-shoot-off-fireworks-from-cemetery-upsets-residents/-/10927008/15403604/-/11q1094/-/index.html (WTAE)