Parks Conservancy adds new fall programs for all age groups to nurture love of nature

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy has developed a newly expanded lineup of programs and events for the fall season to reach residents of all ages and deepen connections with nature and the community through educational and family friendly activities. “We’re offering some new programs that we hope will draw visitors of all ages to the parks,” said Matthew…

State Legislature facing short session to produce promised transit funding

With only about a dozen voting sessions remaining this year, the state Legislature is racing to fulfill a promise it made when it passed a $47.6 billion budget in July: revisiting funding for public transit. Gov. Josh Shapiro had proposed adding $282 million a year for five years to boost transit funding, the first increase…

District college football: Thomas Jefferson graduate Jacob Pugh leading Washington & Jefferson offense with sense of urgency; Duquesne gets revenge against Youngstown State

The first part of the equation was no problem. Washington & Jefferson quarterback Jacob Pugh embarked on a breakout season a year ago, his first as a full-time starter, and led the Presidents’ Athletic Conference in passing, while his offense was among the most productive and efficient units in all of NCAA Division III football.…

High school football!

Best in Show: PUP high school football rankings (Sept. 15)

Each week the Pittsburgh Union Progress will issue its high school football rankings throughout the season, with all rankings voted on by the PUP sports staff. Class 6A 1. North Allegheny (4-0) 2. Central Catholic (2-2) 3. Seneca Valley (1-2) 4. Norwin (2-2) 5. Hempfield (1-3) The skinny: Top-ranked North Allegheny found itself knotted up with…

PUP football notebook: With Tikey Hayes sidelined, sophomore Sa’Nir Brooks carries the load for Aliquippa, appears to be Quips’ next big-time running back

Aliquippa was down a Tikey on Friday night. Tikey Hayes, the team’s bruising senior running back and Penn State recruit, sat out the Quips’ game against Mars with an injury. So, instead of Hayes and sophomore running mate Sa’Nir Brooks hitting the Fightin’ Planets with a 1-2 combination, it was Brooks who delivered body blow…

PUP Friday Night Rewind (Week 3): Franklin Regional uses late FG to hand Latrobe first loss, 3-0; Seneca Valley knocks off Norwin; Sa’Nir Brooks shines for Aliquippa in win against Mars

News, notes, scores, photos and videos from Week 3 of the high school football season. A week ago, Franklin Regional took on one of the top teams in WPIAL Class 5A and gave up 45 points in a lopsided loss. Friday, the Panthers had to play yet another ranked Class 5A opponent,  This time, the…

Eric Doerue does heavy lifting as South Park’s stout defense stymies Steel Valley in low-scoring shutout win

Through 47 minutes of Friday night’s defensive slugfest between Class 2A No. 3 South Park and Steel Valley, the Eagles seemingly had the upper hand in just about every category imaginable — except for the one that matters most. Despite moving the ball inside the red zone three times, nearly doubling the Ironmen’s yardage output…

Junior quarterback Cam Walter’s consistent presence pays off in Woodland Hills’ first victory against Penn-Trafford in 17 years

Malik McCloud’s time at Woodland Hills has been short. Since the sophomore wide receiver and cornerback has been with the Wolverines, though, there has been one constant — Cam Walter. “I’ve only been here for four months,” McCloud said. “I just transferred from Penn Hills. Ever since I got here he’s been one of the…

Newsapalooza: Sharing stories

From TribLive.com, Faces of the Valley: Volunteering and firefighting is family affair for Lower Burrell woman

This story first published on TribLive.com. Nicole Hereda’s family quite literally is immersed in the Kinloch Volunteer Fire Department in Lower Burrell. Hereda, 39, of Lower Burrell is a safety officer and fundraising chair at the station, located off New York Avenue in the city. Her husband, Ted, is chief, and their sons, T.J. and…

From Soul Pitt Quarterly: She came back a different person to help people and live well

This story is shared from Soul Pitt Quarterly magazine. Kiva A. Fisher-Green grew up in Homewood as the native daughter who inherited the resilience and resourcefulness of the community, with a succession of Pittsburgh greats who sustained her through the perils of life. With the option to attend Westinghouse High School, just walking distance from…

In other news …

Strong support shown for Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s bulk pass program

None of the seven speakers at Thursday’s public hearing for Pittsburgh Regional Transit’s proposed bulk pass program spoke against the idea of selling passes at a reduced rate for business, schools or apartment buildings to give to patrons at the same or lower cost. In fact, they mostly wanted to know what took so long…

‘We did it!’: West Penn nurses celebrate their new contract

Before Joanne Germanos had a chance to approach a podium to make her announcement, someone in the crowd called out, “We did it!” Germanos had to agree. Wearing the blue scrubs of her profession and standing before several of her colleagues who’d gathered in a small park across from West Penn Hospital in Bloomfield, she…

PUP recruiting notebook: Fox Chapel’s Harran Zureikat, the nation’s No. 1 kicker in the junior class, has a unique background and a Power Four offer

Back in January, Fox Chapel football coach Dave Leasure was told by a few of his players that “a really good kicker” had just transferred to the school. Admittedly, Leasure was a bit skeptical. “No one transfers to Fox Chapel and is a great football player. It just doesn’t happen, especially coming off of an…