Moon Edition Serving Moon Area School District Volume 14, Number 88 May/June 2020 One of 4 editions serving 16 airport area communities www.awmagazine.com FREE Direct Mail Community Publication Allegheny West M agazine PLUS: Coraopolis Community Development update BSA Troop 9198 celebrates one-year anniversary Community members lend talents and resources during Covid-19 crisisMay/June 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 34 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2020 Moon Edition May/June 2020 ~ Volume 14, Number 88 Columns { } Contents - Locally Sourced - Around Your Town - Chamberlink - Legislative Update - Your Schools - Groundwork 8 10 12 16 18 29 8 9 10 22 - - - - Coraopolis Community Development update BSA Troop 9198 celebrates one-year anniversary Community members lend talents and resources during COVID-19 crisis Day trips! Your cure for cabin fever These are just some of the destinations listed in our Day Trips guide this month. Pictured are (from left, clockwise): sailing at Moraine State Park; Hollow Oak Land Trust trails; and the Egypt Valley Wildlife Area. PHOTOS SUBMITTED COVER DESIGN BY SARAH KIZINA ABOUT THE COVER Dear Readers, Thank you for picking up our May Moon edition of Allegheny West Magazine. I hope this message finds you well and safe during this unprecedented time in our nation’s history. This month, we’re bringing you a number of informational columns and good news stories about how locals are responding to the crisis. On page 8, read about how people in the community have been retooling their talents and resources to help their neighbors and people working on the front lines of the crisis. Then, starting on page 18, we’re bringing lots of news from area schools, including a number of stories on how schools are transitioning to distance learning. We’re also bringing you a special section on day trip ideas. After being cooped up the past couple of months, we thought our readers would enjoy this special section. We’ve assembled a list of regional destinations with an eye on safety and social distancing. Read more, starting on page 22. Look for our next edition in July when, hopefully, we’ll know more about where our area stands in regards to this crisis. For many of us, simply not knowing has been the worst part. In the meantime, please stay safe. Doug Hughey, Publisher/Editor From the Publisher Allegheny West Magazine-Moon Edition is published in January, March, May, July, September, and November, six issues a year, Hughey Publications, LLC, P. O. Box 220, McDonald PA 15057. Mailed and distributed free to residents and businesses in Crescent, Moon and Moon Area School District. Extra copies available at municipal offices, schools, libraries, stores, advertisers, hotels, and businesses. Available by mail subscription for $15 annually. Story ideas welcomed. Community events and announcements from non-profit groups must be received by the 15th of the month prior to publishing date. Announcements are limited to 30 words and must include a contact phone number. Reproduction of any artwork, photographs, or copy prepared by Allegheny West Magazine is strictly prohibited without written consent of Hughey Publications LLC. Copyright 1999-2020 Allegheny West Magazine. All rights reserved. Views and opinions expressed by contributors and/or advertisers are the responsibility of the contributors and not those of the publisher of Allegheny West Magazine. P. O. Box 220, McDonald, PA 15057 Phone: 724.673.3161 E-Mail: info@awmagazine.com www.awmagazine.com WE PROUDLY SPONSOR AND SUPPORT: A variety of community, school, and nonprofit organizations in our coverage areas of Cornell, Moon, Montour, and West Allegheny. We are committed to recycling our used and leftover products. We encourage our readers to be responsible and dispose of this magazine when finished enjoying it. Consider passing it along to someone else, or placing it in your neighborhood recycling bins. Thank you in advance for doing your part for our earth. Hughey Publications, LLC also publishes the Moon edition of Allegheny West Magazine, the Cornell edition of Allegheny West Magazine and the West Allegheny edition of Allegheny West Magazine. MEMBER “GOOD NEWS ALWAYS, MAILED & DELIVERED FREE, EVERY TIME” Allegheny West Magazine - Moon Edition, is an all positive, good news publication mailed free into the homes and businesses of the Moon Area School District communities of Moon and Crescent to connect communities, promote people, heighten awareness about the richness of the airport region, and build pride in the western suburbs of Allegheny County. Allegheny West Magazine Now in Our 21 st Year Proudly Serving the Airport Area PUBLISHER AND EDITOR Doug Hughey WRITERS Jill Bordo Pat Jennette Jocelyn Grecko GRAPHIC DESIGN Sarah Kizina WEBMASTER www.ddswebdesign.com CONTRIBUTORS Barb Kleyman FOUNDING PUBLISHER Pat Jennette412.205.8998 | DDSWebDesign.com Websites that get results. Designed in Pittsburgh Contact us for a free website analysis. Affordable Custom Designs Responsive Sites | Content Management SEO | E-commerce | Hosting | Maintenance Imagine your website working as hard for your business as you do. May/June 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 5Heritage Valley Health Heritage Valley Health 6 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2020Heritage Valley Health Heritage Valley Health Coronavirus Update Information brought to you by Heritage Valley Health System What is coronavirus? Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, which can cause the common cold to serious respiratory illness. The 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new virus that causes respiratory illness in people and can spread from person-to-person. This virus was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, China. What are the symptoms? The symptoms of COVID-19 include – cough, fever, shortness of breath. The symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. How can coronavirus spread? •Through the air by coughing or sneezing; •Close personal contact, such as touching or shaking hands; •Touching an object or surface with the virus on it; •Occasionally, fecal contamination How to protect yourself? •Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. •Practice social distancing, stay at home and when needing to go out, stay approximately 6 feet away from others •Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow; do not use your hands! •Clean surfaces frequently, including countertops, light switches, cell phones, and other frequently touched items. •Stay at home if you are sick. When should I see a doctor? If you are currently having mild respiratory symptoms such as fever, and/or cough or shortness of breath, have traveled or have had contact with a person who has a confirmed case of coronavirus in the last 14 days please contact your primary care physician (PCP) office by phone. The physician office staff will help assess your condition and will be able to recommend next steps. Patients with a non-Heritage Valley Multispecialty Group provider can be tested for COVID-19. These patients should call one of our ConvenientCare sites near them to be evaluated for a COVID-19 testing. The provider at ConvenientCare will do a telephone/telehealth visit with the patient and determine if testing is indicated. ConvenientCare Phone Numbers •Calcutta: 724-773-1995 •Chippewa: 724-770-7999 •Ellwood City: 724-773-4681, opt. 1 •Robinson Twp: 724-773-8950 If you do not have a PCP, please call one of our ConvenientCare locations. The office staff will help assess your condition and will be able to recommend next steps. Please do not come to the ConvenientCare with the above symptoms unless directed to do so by the staff. You can also contact the PA Department of Health at 1-877-724-3258 or reference information from the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/) Heritage Valley Offers Scheduled COVID-19 Testing To better serve the community during this coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Heritage Valley Health System is offering COVID-19 drive-through testing at two locations. •Heritage Valley Center Township Medical Neighborhood 79 Wagner Road, Monaca, PA, behind the Beaver Valley Mall Mon., Wed. & Fri., 8:00 am to 4:30 pm •Heritage Valley Moon Township Medical Neighborhood 935 Thorn Run Road, Moon Twp. Tues. & Thurs., 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Testing is only available for patients who have an authorized order from their Heritage Valley provider in advance of arriving at the testing site. Patients must be at least 12 years old to have testing done at the drive-through sites. Appointments are scheduled through Heritage Valley Scheduling at 1-800-721-6237. Appointments are scheduled every 5 minutes. Patients are able to drive up to the testing site and remain in their car while clinical staff collect the nasal test sample. A photo ID is required. Results of the test will be available 3-4 days after collection. After having samples taken, individuals are strongly encouraged to self-quarantine at home until the test results are received. The individual’s Primary Care Physician will contact them with results. HeritageValley.org Download our App May/June 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 7%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced CONTENT SUBMITTED Pantry fed 1,519 people over three services. Bags filled with essential food products like milk, eggs, cheese, cereal, canned goods, meats and vegetables were either delivered or handed out via drive-by to people in the Coraopolis, Moon Township, Neville Island, Crescent and Groveton areas. • Kelly Willard and Crystal Stadnik have been working diligently to ensure that 53 children each week continue to receive a five pound bag of food through the Snack Pack program despite school being out of session. • Planning for the community garden is now in full swing. Though the garden’s opening event in early May was canceled, volunteers have remained committed to “adopting plots” to sow and care for vegetation. Careful scheduling will allow volunteers to maintain their appropriate social distance while working the 4,000 square-foot lot. All plots are currently reserved, but there is still space for volunteers looking to donate, plant and care for flowers for bees. For contact information, see below. • The CCDC’s Art Walk that was to take place May 16 has been rescheduled for Oct. 17. Details will be posted on the CCDC Facebook page and on the AWMag Events app. • The CCDC is grateful to its team of volunteers and partners as it continues to adapt to the changing needs of the community that it serves. Thanks goes out to Coraopolis Borough leaders; the police department; Mayor Shawn Reed; Magisterial District Judge Michele Santicola; state Rep. Anita Astorino Kulik; Cornell School District; the Sewickley Valley YMCA; local business owners Tiffany Battaglini and Ray Kinneman; and countless community groups and volunteers for donating, packing, delivering, and serving people in need during these trying times. Anyone looking to volunteer or who is in need of assistance should call (412) 392-8247. Contributions to the food pantry that help with the growing demand are both needed and appreciated. Donations can be made by visiting the CCDC’s website at www.corycdc.org or its Facebook page: @CCDC247. Donations can be mailed to: PO Box 40, Coraopolis, PA 15108. Coraopolis Community Development update Coraopolis Food Pantry volunteers have been delivering bags of food (pictured below) curbside during the COVID-19 crisis. 8 • Allegheny West Magazine • May/June 2020%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced CONTENT SUBMITTED On Feb. 1, 2019, the same day the Boy Scouts of America opened their Scouts BSA program to girls, Troop 9198 at Riverdale Presbyterian Church in Moon was chartered. On that day, they became the first all-girl troop in the Pittsburgh area. At just over a dozen scouts, they are also currently the largest girl troop in the Laurel Highlands Council, which serves western Pennsylvania, western Maryland and parts of West Virginia. Troop 9198’s first year was extremely exciting and saw many girls achieve both personal accomplishments and troop milestones. Their first official troop meeting was held Feb. 5. At their first troop camp out in March, they got to utilize their camping skills, including: using the proper camping equipment, pitching tents, working as a team or “patrol,” using a pocketknife and ax safely, setting up and using a camp kitchen, and fire building. The Scouts attended their first multi-troop event in May of 2019 at the Frontier District’s Spring “International” Camporee at Camp Anawanna in Amity, where they researched and presented on the Scouting program in Greece. The troop then spent a week in July at Camp Liberty within Heritage Scout Reservation in July. They earned 13 merit badges, Honor Patrol and Honor Troop. This past October, they traveled to Waterloo Village in Stanhope, New Jersey to attend a state-wide “Jersey Jam” jamboree with over 4,000 other scouts. Then, in January of this year, they attended the annual multi-district Klondike Derby. The event’s theme was “Raid on Area 51” and the troop placed fourth out of 17 other troops. The scouts of Troop 9198 learned many traditional skills along the way, including camping, knots and lashings, first aid and CPR, swimming, fire building, camp cooking, hiking, following a personal budget, using a map and compass, physical fitness, personal safety, citizenship and community service, just to name a few. All told, the girls of Troop 9198 earned over 20 merit badges and 12 rank advancements, logged over 200 community service hours, spent 70 nights camping and hiked over 30 miles. Troop 9198 is open to all girls ages 11 through 17. Since the state-wide shutdown was put in place to halt the spread of COVID-19, the scouts have been meeting online and have even held a meeting with Congressman Conor Lamb. For more information, contact Scoutmaster Ken Smith at kensmith517@comcast.net. BSA Troop 9198 celebrates their one-year anniversary ABOVE: Grace T., Elena M., Gracie R., Alexa W., Keira P., Bayley C. and Kayla H receive Troop 9198’s flag. BELOW: Gracie R., Grace T., Elena M. and Kayla H. are pictured at the Jersey Jam event. May/June 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 9Next >