In brief: Penn Hills and Verona area happenings, week of March 10, 2025

More Real ID days set for spring

The Penn Hills PennDOT Driver License Center, 11620 Keleket Drive, will host a Real ID Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 14 and May 5.

Applications for Real IDs will be the only services available during the event. No other driver’s license business will be conducted.

Starting on May 7, anyone 18 or older will need a Real ID or another acceptable form of identification to fly domestically or visit certain federal and military facilities, as well as enter nuclear power plants.

A valid passport or military ID will be able used in lieu of the Real ID for domestic commercial flights.

The Real ID is denoted as a star icon on one’s driver’s license.

Though the Real ID is optional for Pennsylvanians, according to the commonwealth’s website, the state Department of Transportation is hosting Real ID Days across the state to help residents get their documents verified and imaged.

PennDOT will need to verify your identity, Social Security number and Pennsylvania residency, even if you already have a Pennsylvania driver’s license or photo ID card.

For a list of documents required to apply, visit tinyurl.com/5e3d59t8.

Tickets available for spring musical

Penn Hills High School’s thespians are gearing up for their spring musical, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” which will run April 3-6 at the school’s auditorium, 309 Collins Drive.

Show times are from 7 to 10 p.m. April 3, 4 and 5 and 2 to 5 p.m. April 6.

“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” brings the art of the con to the stage with charm, wit and a good dose of humor.

Tickets, which are $8 for students and $12 for adults, can be ordered online at phhsmusical.com. A 20-cent service fee will be charged for student tickets, and a 30-cent fee will apply to adult tickets.

Bingo night to benefit Rosedale firefighters

The Rosedale Civic Association is hosting a bingo fundraiser March 29 at Redeemer Lutheran High School, 121 Dawn Drive, Penn Hills.

Doors will open at 6 p.m., and bingo starts at 7.

Tickets cost $20 and includes six bingo cards for each of the 10 regular games. There will be cash prizes.

All proceeds go toward purchasing protective gear for firefighters at the Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department.

Additional bingo cards and special games cost extra.

There will be a 50-50 and auction. Food and soft drinks will be available for purchase.

For tickets, email rosedalecivicassociation222@gmail.com.

Applications being accepted for seasonal work in parks

Penn Hills currently is looking for seasonal maintenance workers for the upcoming parks season.

These workers carry out park maintenance duties to keep the grounds safe and clean. They are assigned to various parks for janitorial, pavilion/ball field upkeep and grounds services.

Work takes place outdoors and is assigned as needed. Hours will vary but primarily take place on weekend afternoons and evenings.

The position requires extensive walking and standing on possible uneven terrain, the operation of a motor vehicle and heavy lifting and carrying of supplies such as equipment and picnic tables.

Applications are available online at pennhillspa.gov/employment and can be emailed once completed to John Scaglione, assistant superintendent of the public works and parks and recreation departments, at jscaglione@pennhillspa.gov.

Completed applications also can be delivered by mail or in person to the Penn Hills Government Center, 102 Duff Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15235.

All applicants must have the necessary state and federal clearances/background checks to obtain employment.

For details, call 412-798-2147.

Tree Adoption Event planned for April 12

The Penn Hills Shade Tree Commission once again is partnering with Tree Pittsburgh for its second Tree Adoption Event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 12 at the Sycamore Pavilion in Penn Hills Community Park, 120 Colorado St.

Residents are invited to add some beauty to their yard with up to two free trees from the Penn Hills group and Tree Pittsburgh.

Additional information about Tree Pittsburgh’s Tree Adoptions is available on its website at treepittsburgh.org/programs/tree-adoption/.

Closer to the event, a registration link to Tree Pittsburgh will be provided on PHSTC’s website at pennhillsstc.org. Once the link is available, residents will be able to select the type of tree or trees they want to reserve for pickup during the adoption event April 12.

Community invited to Arbor Day celebration

The Penn Hills Shade Tree Commission is planning its seventh annual Arbor Day celebration from 2 to 4 p.m. April 26 at Duff Park in Penn Hills.

The park is near the Penn Hills Municipal Center along Duff Road.

The rain date will be April 27.

As part of the celebration, the community is invited to help plant new trees in the park.

Africana Wellness Conference open to community

The Legacy Arts Project, in partnership with the Ujamaa Collective, is presenting the sixth annual Africana Wellness Conference.

The free, daylong event focusing on self-care and holistic health will take place from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. March 15 at the Community Empowerment Association, 7120 Kelly St., in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood.

Attendees will have access to health resources, holistic wellness products and local businesses committed to community well-being.

The event will include wellness workshops, a marketplace of vendors and family-friendly activities for children.

Led by Ujamaa Collective members, the Black Dream Escape and Legacy Arts Project, the workshops will focus on holistic self-care practices that nurture individual and collective well-being.

Community partners participating in the conference include Children’s Hospital, East End Food Co-op and Primary Care Health Services.

For details and to register, visit legacyartsproject.org.

Spring Craft Fair set at Masonic lodge

The Plum Creek Masonic Lodge is planning a Spring Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 30.

The lodge is at 9521 Saltsburg Road in Plum.

For details or to participate, contact Wayne at mrdarts@verizon.net or call 412-916-5835.

Spring Fabric Fair to benefit Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is presenting its annual Spring Fabric Fair on April 12.

The one-day sale, made possible by the Salvation Army Greater Pittsburgh Women’s Auxiliary, will be from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Salvation Army Pittsburgh Temple Worship and Service Center, 1060 McNeilly Road, Mt. Lebanon.

For more than three decades, this fundraiser has offered bargains on rare fabrics, unique patterns and a variety of materials and equipment needed for crocheting, knitting, quilting and “sew” much more.

After exploring inside, shoppers can enjoy a $10 bag sale outdoors, which will be stocked with a variety of materials.

Since its inception, the fabric fairs have raised more than $800,000, with all proceeds providing critical assistance to individuals and families throughout Allegheny County.

Admission is free. Complimentary parking will be available on-site, with free shuttles running from two satellite parking locations at Keystone Oaks’ middle and high schools. Snacks and lunch items also will be available for purchase.

Carts and strollers are prohibited, and reusable shopping bags are encouraged.

The Spring Fabric Fair is made possible by donations of all the items for sale. There always is a need for donated items, as well as additional volunteers to measure and sort fabric in preparation for the fair.

Donations are accepted from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays, February through October, at the Salvation Army warehouse, 820 Parish St., Green Tree. Please note that fabric donations will not be accepted during the fair.

For details, call 412-446-1500 or visit salvationarmywpa.org/fabricfair. Follow The Salvation Army Greater Pittsburgh Women’s Auxiliary on Facebook and @salarmypgh on Instagram to preview items for sale.

Mark your calenders: The Fall Fabric Fair will be Oct. 4.

Blood drive set at high school

Vitalant is hosting a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 27 at Penn Hills High School, one of dozens of blood drives the group is holding in the Pittsburgh area this month.

Donors who participate at any Vitalant site during the month will automatically be entered for a chance to win one of two $5,000 prepaid gift cards.

All blood types are needed, but the greatest need is for type O — the most compatible when a patient’s blood type is unknown.

To make an appointment, visit donors.vitalant.org.

St. Paddy Wagon brewery hop planned

Three local breweries are hosting a St. Paddy Wagon brewery hop on March 15.

The participating breweries are Acclamation Brewing at 314 Arch St. in Verona, Inner Groove at 751 E. Railroad St. in Verona and Local Remedy Brewing at 531 Allegheny Ave. in Oakmont.

The trolley adventure will include unlimited hop on and off rides from noon to 4 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. between the three breweries, festive beers, food trucks and and Irish fun.

Rides will be provided by Molly’s Trolleys.

Waiting for Ray, a ’90s band, will perform live music starting at 6 p.m. at Acclamation Brewing.

Reservations for the trolley cost $5 and must be made in advance.

To register, visit innergroovebrewing.com/stpaddywagon.

Ronald McDonald Care Mobile to make pit stop

The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is stopping by the community from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 14 at Penn Hills Family Care Connection, 10 Duff Road.

The mobile clinic, a state-of-the-art pediatric primary care center on wheels, is a collaboration between UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh and Morgantown.

Registration will close at 1:30 p.m. that day.

Pediatricians, nurses, nurse practitioners and respiratory therapists from Children’s Hospital will provide medical care to children at no out-of-pocket cost. Services provided include immunizations, routine physical exams, sick child visits, vision screenings, adolescent and young adult health care, referrals for specialty care and assistance with WIC (Women, Infants & Children) forms.

For questions, additional information or to view the full list of services provided, call 412-352-1059 or visit chp.edu/our-services/mobile-medical-clinic.

History Center, Fort Pitt Museum offering free admission for kids

Admission to the Senator John Heinz History Center and Fort Pitt Museum will be free for children 17 and younger during Women’s History Month, thanks to support from community partners UPMC and UPMC Health Plan.

Throughout March, youngsters will get free general admission to the Smithsonian-affiliated History Center, which includes the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, and the Fort Pitt Museum, located in historic Point State Park. Regular admission applies for all adult visitors and groups.

The museums also offered free admission for children during Black History Month in February.

At the History Center, families can explore six floors of award-winning exhibitions and interactive learning spaces. Visitors can:

• Spiral down a 12-foot Liberty Tube slide in the Great Hall and design pop art, construct bridges and more in the interactive Discovery Place exhibition.

• Explore the Neighborhood of Make-Believe featuring the original set and puppets in the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood exhibition.

• Exercise their minds and bodies while climbing the UPMC SmartSteps, the world’s only history exhibition in a stairwell. Punch a stamp card on all six floors to win a free Heinz pickle pin.

• Land a space rover on the surface of the Moon inside the Apollo 11 section of “Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation.”

• Throw a touchdown pass to legendary Steelers and score the winning goal for the Penguins inside the two-floor Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.

At the Fort Pitt Museum, families can explore the history and culture of American Indian tribes who once called Western Pennsylvania home through a new exhibit titled “Homelands: Native Nations of Allegheny.”

Created in collaboration with federally recognized Delaware, Seneca, Seneca-Cayuga and Shawnee tribes, the exhibit illuminates the past, present and future of the region’s Native tribes with rare artifacts and new scholarship.

The History Center and Fort Pitt Museum are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For details, visit heinzhistorycenter.org.

Church events open to community

Monroeville Church of the Brethen, 481 Center Road in Monroeville, is pleased to introduce Pastor Oyango Burney as its interim pastor. Burney recently accepted the position, and he brings a wealth of experience and a passion for serving others.

The congregation also is inviting members of the community and surrounding areas, including Penn Hills, to join a variety of events:

• The church operates a prayer hotline and welcomes requests. If you need prayer and don’t know where to turn, the congregation wants to help and will pray for you. To submit a request, call the church at 412-372-4165.

• A weekly Bible study class meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday.

• Free coffee and doughnuts are served from 10 to 11 a.m. every Sunday.

• A blood drive conducted by the American Red Cross is planned from noon to 5 p.m. April 11 at the church. To make an appointment, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-Red-Cross (1-800-733-2767).

For details about any of the events, visit monroevillecob.com, email monroeville.brethern@gmail.com or call 412-372-4165.

Heating assistance available to low-income households

Thousands of eligible customers miss out on bill assistance by not applying for federal grants. With the winter season approaching, many income-eligible customers remain unaware of programs that can significantly reduce their energy bill.

Peoples Natural Gas, an essential utilities company, encourages its customers to take advantage of available resources to help offset winter heating costs.

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), is now open for the 2024-25 heating season. LIHEAP is a federally funded assistance program that provides grants to eligible low-income households to help pay for heating costs. Grants start at $200 and may be higher based on income and the number of people living in the home.

To qualify for a LIHEAP grant, customers must have a total gross household income at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. Customers do not have to be on public assistance or have an unpaid heating bill. LIHEAP is open to renters and homeowners. To learn more about the income limits and to apply, visit https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dhs.html, click on Services in the menu and search for LIHEAP.

In addition to LIHEAP, Peoples offers programs to help make energy-saving home improvements that reduce long-term costs. If you or someone you know needs assistance, call 1-800-400-WARM (9276) or visit peoples-gas.com/help to learn more.

Group offers support for weight loss

All are welcome to join the men and women at Oakmont TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) who are learning how to lose weight.

With in-person meetings, rewards, support and encouragement, we gain knowledge of healthy eating and exercise.

You may visit with no obligation Tuesdays at 5:45 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1261 Pennsylvania Ave. in Oakmont. Weigh-in is private followed by a brief business meeting, sharing time, and educational program all ending by 7:15.

Station 225 seeks junior firefighters

Station 225 of the Penn Hills Volunteer Fire Department is accepting applications for its new Junior Firefighter Program.

The program is open to 16- and 17-year-olds.

For details or to apply, call the station at 412-731-2222, email pennhillsvfd225@gmail.com or stop by the station from 7 to 9 p.m. any Tuesday.

In 2024, Station 225, located at 2997 Robinson Blvd., responded to 600 calls. The department encourages members of the community to join in its lifesaving efforts.

Verona seeks firefighters, junior members

The Verona Volunteer Fire Company is accepting applictions for active firefighters as well as junior members 16 and 17 years of age.

Interested individuals can stop by the fire station, 465 Parker St., from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays.

Training is provided through the Allegheny County Fire Academy.

Free books available monthly for kids through age 5

Children who reside in the 15235 ZIP code are eligible to receive free books every month until their 5th birthday through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program in conjunction with Reading Ready Pittsburgh.

The program, which aims to inspire a love of reading, is open to all children within the city of Pittsburgh and 18 ZIP codes in the Mon Valley area.

Each month, a new, carefully selected book will be mailed in your child’s name directly to your home. The first book is always the classic “The Little Engine That Could.”

For details about the program and to enroll your child, visit readingreadypittsburgh.org/DPIL.

Cub Scout Pack 817 seeks members

Cub Scout Pack 817 is looking for new members.

Boys and girls in grades K-5 are welcome to see what the fun is all about. Pack 817 meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday, September through May, at the Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department, 5806 Verona Road.

Cub Scouts offers members many opportunities to try new things, provide service to others, build confidence, develop leadership skills and make new friends.

Members of Pack 817 participate in pinewood derby races, crafts and cooking, Cubmobile challenges, rocket launches, camping and more. There also are summer activities.

For more information about Pack 817, contact Cubmaster Randy Ford at 412-852-5840 or pack817.verona@gmail.com.

Free clothing available

Mt. Hope Community Church, 12106 Frankstown Road, operates a free Clothesline to people in need from 10 a.m. to noon every Thursday.

Parking is available behind the church, and there is a bus stop nearby at Frankstown Road and Parkridge Drive.

Clothing for women, men and children of all ages is available, as well as some shoes and accessories.

Bags are provided, but visitors also are encouraged to bring their own.

The church also is accepting and loaning gently used children’s books.

For details, call 412-793-0227 or visit mthopepcusa.org/youth-ministries.

Categories: Local | Penn Hills Progress