Local holiday happenings and out-of-town attractions: pages 26-28 Our Annual Elementary Holiday Coloring Contest page 20 Local artists shine at West Hills Art League show Area pizza kitchen returns, carrying on a historic tradition The legacy of Troop 905 lives on with its final class of Eagle Scouts PLUS: Moon Edition Serving Moon Area School District November/December 2023 One of 4 editions serving 16 airport area communities www.awmagazine.com FREE Direct Mail Community Publication M Allegheny West Page 22 agazine4 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2023 Doug Hughey, Publisher/Editor 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. Reproduction of any artwork, photographs, or copy prepared by Allegheny West Magazine is strictly prohibited without written consent of Hughey Publications LLC. Copyright 1999-2023 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. 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. MEMBER 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 P. O. Box 220, McDonald, PA 15057 Phone: 724.673.3161 E-Mail: info@awmagazine.com www.awmagazine.com Doug Hughey Pat Jennette Sarah Kizina www.ddswebdesign.com Pat Jennette { } Contents Local artists shine at West Hills Art League show Area pizza kitchen returns, carrying on historic tradition Officials showcase passenger journey at new PIT terminal Legacy of Troop 905 lives on with final class of Eagle Scouts Elementary Holiday Coloring Contest Moon Area School District News Local holiday happenings and out-of-town attractions Moon Edition November/December 2023 - - - - - - - 8 9 10 16 20 22 26 From the Publisher Dear Readers, Thank you for picking up our November Moon issue. Just as we’ve done in years past, we once again asked Moon Area elementary students to design the cover to this, our holiday issue. We chose one for our cover and printed additional submissions on page 20. I’d like to thank all of these students for once again participating. This is one of our favorite annual traditions and it was once again fun to look through all the submissions. This month as well, we’re bringing you a recap of the West Hills Art League’s annual show, which took place in October. On page 8, read more about not only this year’s winners but also what the league means to its members. Then, on page 9, we’re bringing you a story about the Archangel Gabriel Parish Pizza Kitchen and how it’s carrying on an area tradition that started three-quarters of a century ago. On page 10, get an update on construction progress at Pittsburgh International Airport’s new terminal and, on page 16, read a very special dedication to Scout Troop 905 from its scoutmaster, Chris Rolinson. On page 22, read some of the latest news coming out of Moon Area School District and, on page 26, check out our rundown of local area happenings and out-of-town excursion ideas. Look for our next issue in January. Until then, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Moon Area fourth-grader Subhashree Santra created this drawing of a stag in a wintry wilderness for our annual elementary holiday coloring contest. Each year, we ask students in grades K-4 to create drawings for the cover of our November issue. We then choose one for our cover and print a handful from each grade in the publication. For more of this year’s submissions, see page 20. ABOUT THE COVERNovember/December 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 5Heritage Valley Health System New Medical Neighborhood Hours For ConvenientCare, Lab & Diagnostic Services at Robinson Township Medical Neighborhood The ConvenientCare clinic, Lab and Diagnostic Imaging services located within Heritage Valley Robinson Township Medical Neighborhood now close at 7:30 p.m. on Monday-Saturday and at 3:30 p.m. on Sundays. Please note that holiday hours will vary. Heritage Valley’s Medical Neighborhoods provide access to healthcare services in one convenient location. In addition to the services listed above, our Medical Neighborhoods house a variety of other services, including physician practices (Primary Care, Pediatrics, OB/GYN and Specialists), Rehabilitation Services and BusinessCare, our Occupational Health and Worksite Wellness program. Because the Neighborhoods are part of Heritage Valley’s integrated delivery network, all services are connected through Heritage Valley’s Electronic Health Record system. For more information and a complete listing of our Medical Neighborhoods, including the services that each one offers, please visit www.heritagevalley.org/services/medical-neighborhoods/. 6 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2023Heritage Valley Health System Schedule your MRI or PET-CT close to home Schedule your MRI or PET-CT scan at one of these convenient locations: Robinson Township Medical Neighborhood 2201 Park Manor Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15205 Heritage Valley Kennedy 25 Heckel Road McKees Rocks, PA 15136 You can schedule your MRI or PET-CT at a convenient community site! Heritage Valley offers traditional closed MRI at its Heritage Valley Kennedy hospital, and open-bore MRI at its Robinson Township Medical Neighborhood. While certain areas of the body require that a traditional closed MRI be used, the open-bore machine may accommodate patients who are claustrophobic or have a larger body type. Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-CT scans are available at the Robinson Township Medical Neighborhood. Heritage Valley accepts all major insurances. To schedule your MRI, call 866-901-IMAG (4624). To schedule your PET-CT scan, call 866-251-0710. November/December 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 7CAround Your Town Around Your Town STORY AND PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEY 8 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2023 Reggie Madonna, Colleen Tittinger, Lynda Kirby, Sue Vandertie and Lance Maloney were among the local artists recognized during the West Hills Art League’s 55th Anniversary Art Exhibition in October. Read and share stories at awmagazine.com. Find us on Facebook and Instagram. For many years, Sue Vandertie has wanted to try her hand at creating visual art. In between her job as a music teacher at Moon Area, though, where she was also chair of the music department and oversaw the orchestra, she couldn’t find much time. Then, after retiring following 25 years of teaching and a stint as an adjunct faculty member at Point Park University, Vandertie finally did find time. She started out working with glass, but then when COVID-19 hit she picked up a paint brush. Stuck at home with little else to do, she threw herself headlong into the pursuit. While attending a painting class on alcohol inks at Gilberti Fine Arts in Coraopolis, she says something clicked. Afterwards, she started buying porcelain tiles at Home Depot and playing with the unique effects the inks created on the nonporous surfaces. “The color is so intense, and when the color spreads out they do such absolutely delicious things, that I was pretty fascinated with it,” she says. This past October, Vandertie was one of dozens of area artists belonging to the West Hills Art League who showed their work at Gilberti Fine Arts in downtown Coraopolis for the league’s 55th Annual Art Show. On Oct. 14, the league held a special artist’s reception and competition, where one of Vandertie’s alcohol ink pieces, titled “Summer Garden,” won first place. She says she was delighted to be recognized. Vandertie’s story isn’t unlike that of many members of the league who manage to find time for their art either in retirement or in between their day jobs and many other responsibilities. For many members, the league helps them stay on track, by giving them deadlines, camaraderie and feedback. Such is the case for Lance Maloney, a Moon Township native and human resources professional whose acrylic painting of a nuthatch won third place at the competition. He says the social aspect of the league and the challenge it offers helps motivate him. Maloney says he enjoys photography and painting with both acrylics and oils, and that his attention to detail at his day job translates well to his artwork. Also recognized in judging was Lynda Kirby, a local graphic designer who uses her professional skills to create digital art. In addition, she creates fumage paintings using soot left by a flame. She says being an art league member and participating in shows keeps her focused. “I try to [create art] when I find free time,” she says. “That’s why I like belonging [to the club]. It’s like an assignment. I have to set a deadline to do something that isn’t my job.” Recognized as well was Rita Wilson, a retired West Allegheny art teacher of 23 years. Wilson says she’s been a member of the league since 1972. These days, she also writes, and has published a nonfiction book. She recently signed a deal to publish her first novel. She says she’s met many talented artists with various levels of training through the league over the years. The West Hills Art League was first founded in the late 1960s by area artists Nancy Bush, Thelma Fielder and Nancy Gorr. In 2019, Bush recounted to this publication how they started the league after attempting to have their work shown in the Three Rivers Arts Festival. The two began meeting with area art teachers to get the league going and it grew from there. This year’s show coincided with the Coraopolis Fall Festival, which is organized by the Coraopolis Community Development Corporation. An annual event, the Fall Festival typically features food trucks, craft vendors and children’s activities. In addition, it has featured an art walk, where storefronts across the borough welcome artists to set up shop right in their places of business. The day has given visitors a chance to interact with artists, and artists the opportunity to share their work with the public. This year’s Fall Festival took place on Oct. 14, the same day winners of the show were announced at Gilberti Fine Arts during a special artists’ reception that afternoon. Though rain throughout the day spoiled some of the day’s fun, it hardly dampened spirits at the reception. Also recognized was Colleen Tittinger, whose piece “Early Dawn” won second place. Reggie Madonna won the People’s Choice award and a Merit Award for her watercolor paintings of sunflowers while Marian Sallade’s oil painting “Sunset on the Marsh” won best in show. Coming up, the West Hills Art League is planning to host its $55 Cash and Carry Show on Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Robin Hill Carriage House. For more about the league and its upcoming events, visit westhillsartleague.com. Local artists once again shine at West Hills Art League show Pictured are paintings by (above) Vandertie (left), Madonna (right), Sallade (below) and Maloney (bottom). CAround Your Town Around Your Town Follow Allegheny West Magazine on Facebook, Instagram and X for updates and more. November/December 2023 • www.awmagazine.com • 9 In the communities of Stowe Township and Kennedy Township, pizza kitchens have a long tradition. Typically held as church fundraisers, the pizza kitchens have helped maintain and even build sanctuaries while keeping the traditions of Italian dishes steeped in the areas alive. Patrons across the area have long been drawn to the kitchens for traditional pizzas, specialty rolls, falagones and other Italian dishes passed down for generations. In October, one such pizza kitchen returned to the area, though in a relatively new location. For almost three-quarters of a century, this particular pizza kitchen operated out of a building owned by Mother of Sorrows Church in McKees Rocks. After that church closed, the kitchen found its way to the cafeteria of the former St. Malachy School in Kennedy Township. Since October of 2021, it has been operating there for a few months each year as a fundraiser for Archangel Gabriel Parish. On Oct. 27, the pizza kitchen opened once again and will continue making to-go orders each Friday for a total of 11 weeks through Jan. 26. Despite the change in location, many of the volunteers who have been helping out with the effort for decades are still operating the kitchen today, and they’ve brought along the kitchen’s recipes. “Because of its history, many memories exist around the pizza kitchen,” says Julienne Giuliani, the current chair of the pizza kitchen. “We often hear, ‘My grandmother, grandfather, aunt, mom, etcetera, used to make pizzas at the pizza kitchen and yours tastes just like I remember!’” One thing that makes the kitchen unique is its pizza dough, which volunteers use to make everything from pizza crusts (they refer to them as “shells”) to pepperoni rolls. The dough is mixed fresh each Friday using just about a half dozen ingredients and has a light, flaky texture to it, similar to focaccia. Dave Matergia of Robinson Township is one of two volunteers who mix the dough each Friday. Now retired from a career working with an engineering firm, he says he learned from a volunteer who came before him. This marks his seventh year helping with the effort. Another item the pizza kitchen is known for is its specialty rolls, including its sausage, spinach and pepperoni rolls. Its pepperoni rolls, at least, are made exclusively by volunteer JR Ramsey, who has been making them for decades. Each Friday, Ramsey gets started early, rolling out freshly mixed dough into sheets and then layering each with healthy amounts of grated parmigiana, pepperoni and mozzarella before folding them up and popping them in the oven. He says he doesn’t like to brag, but feels he’s mastered the process. “You know how when you cut the end of a pepperoni roll and there’s nothing in it?” he says. “Well, there’s stuff in mine.” Another popular item on the kitchen’s menu are its ricotta gnocchi. Volunteers make the pillowy dough balls earlier in the week and then freeze them for patrons to take home and cook themselves. The kitchen also makes pasta fagioli and a wedding soup that volunteers say one could call famous. In January, the kitchen will be bringing back another favorite, its falagones, which are similar to calzones. The pizza kitchen will continue operating each Friday until Jan. 26. It will be closed on Nov. 24, Dec. 22 and Dec. 29. To see a menu, visit archangelgabrielparish.org/pizza. To order, call (412) 771-0848 between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Fridays. Pickup is available until 6 p.m., but calling early is suggested. Pizzas are available both fully baked and half-baked so that they can be finished at home and enjoyed right out of the oven. Area pizza kitchen returns, carrying on a historic tradition STORY AND PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEY JR Ramsey (top) prepares pepperoni rolls for the Archangel Gabriel Pizza Kitchen. Louise Safko (bottom) sprinkles chopped green peppers on a pizza. Next >