Bond issue approved for sewers, building

Richland officials have approved issuing nearly $6.5 million in bonds that will help fund sewer projects, as well as a new municipal building.

Township Manager Dean Bastianini said it is not clear yet which projects will be funded nor when the municipal building will be complete.

Designs for all still are in the works. Bastianini said two projects might be funded by grants.

The bond issue also includes the refinancing of bonds from 1996, which will save taxpayers $94,285.

The interest rate for the refinanced portion of the issue varies between 1.2 and 3.7 percent. For the new money, the interest rate varies between 1.1 and 4.65 percent.

By law, officials will have three years to spend the money from the bond issue. Bastianini said most of the money probably would be spent in 2004. The bonds would have to be paid back by 2026.

Etna/Shaler
Butler Street drilling set for Feb. 10-14

Soil and rock drilling is scheduled from Feb. 10 to 14 on Butler Street in Etna and Shaler.

Work will be performed adjacent to the southbound lane of Route 8 from Kittanning Street to Saxonburg Boulevard.

The project is not expected to cause major roadway delays.

Crews are doing the soil and rock drilling and sampling in preparation for future roadway widening and realignment.

All work will be done weather permitting and is subject to rescheduling.

Bellevue
Paving project halted to save brick avenue

Bellevue officials have put on hold approval of a resurfacing project in hopes of saving a brick surface from being replaced by asphalt. Allegheny County has agreed to provide $19,189 for road reconstruction. According to an agreement with the public works commission, the money can only be used for paving.

Borough council President Patrick Miller said he wanted to try to preserve the original bricks on part of Madison Avenue in Bellevue.

Council members said they would discuss the possibility of using the money provided by the county to repair sanitary sewers on Madison Avenue while using Bellevue funding for brick repair.

Borough workers to pay part of benefits

The Bellevue council has approved a motion that requires nonunion employees to make contributions to medical and dental benefits.

Nonunion employees will be required to pay 10 percent of their medical and dental coverage as of April 2003.

Single employees will pay approximately $35 per month. Employees with families will contribute an average of $95 per month.

Age rule lowered for police clerks

The Bellevue council has lowered the minimum age for police clerks.

In the past, clerks had to be at least 21 years old. The borough now will allow those as young as 18 years of age to apply for the position. The personnel code will be updated to reflect the change. A public hearing on the code change will be March 4.

Move expands pool of fire truck drivers

Volunteer firefighters no longer need a commercial drivers license to operate Bellevue's fire equipment.

The borough council passed a motion to eliminate the requirement. Council members said the move allows Bellevue to utilize as many drivers as possible by expanding the pool of potential operators. Volunteers still have to obtain the Emergency Vehicle Operation Certificate.

Council said the change does not affect its insurance coverage. Paid firefighters still are required to have the commercial driver's licenses.

Also, the council hired Jeffrey A. Wissner to fill a vacant paid firefighter position. Wissner has 30 days to obtain his commercial driver's license and pass background checks. Bellevue now has three paid firefighters.

McCandless/Middlesex
Free tax help offered by Sen. Orie's office

State Sen. Jane Clare Orie's North Hills district office will offer free tax preparation service for senior citizens.

The service will be available by appointment only on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from Monday through April 9 at the office, Suite 105 in La Casa Blanca Building, 9400 McKnight Road, McCandless.

The office is taking appointments immediately. Seniors who would like to schedule an appointment can call legislative assistant Christine Bahr at (412) 630-9466. Orie is a McCandless Republican.

Middlesex Township also will offer the free tax service through the municipality at 133 Browns Hill Road. The phone number is (724) 898-3571.

Region
Three new eateries open in north area

The Allegheny County Health Department announced the openings of three new food facilities in the northern suburbs.

The establishments are: Ken's Wings & Six Packs, 4706 Route 8, Hampton; Upper Crust Pizza, 715 Dorseyville Road, Fox Chapel; and in Bed, Bath & Beyond, 7507 McKnight Road, Ross.

For more information, call (412) 687-2243.

Ross
Center seeks kids for Scout Art Show

The North Hills Art Center is looking for local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts ages 5 and older who are interested in participating in the center's second annual Freedom of Expression Scout Art Show.

The entry deadline is Feb. 17. The cost is $5 per entry, and scouts may enter as many times as they wish.

The multimedia juried art show runs from March 8 to 22 at the center, 3432 Babcock Blvd., Ross.

The gala opening is from 7 to 9 p.m. March 8. An awards ceremony for winners, their parents and scouting troop leaders will be from 7 to 9 p.m. March 22.

Thirty-five prizes will be awarded, and all winners will receive an all-expense paid bus trip to Harrisburg on April 9; a certificate of award presented by state Sen. Jane Clare Orie, a McCandless Republican; a guided tour of the Capitol; and lunch in the Capitol dining room.

Zelienople
Cyberwatch program scheduled Tuesday

The PTO of Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School will sponsor an evening workshop entitled, "CYBERWATCH: Protecting Our Youth on the Internet" at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the school's LGI room.

David Lewis, formerly a sergeant with the Cranberry police, will discuss terms associated with Internet use, as well as software designed to monitor or block access to specified Web sites.

Lewis will answer questions about how to protect children from potentially dangerous or offensive sites.

The program is open to the general public and is designed for both beginners and experienced Internet users.

Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School is at 300 Pittsburgh St. in Zelienople.

Hospital offers monthly screenings

Outpatient Services of Butler Memorial Hospital, 400 W. Culvert St., will begin offering monthly mammography screenings Monday.

Appointments can be made in the Women's Imaging Center at the hospital; outpatient locations in Butler, East Brady, Petrolia, Saxonburg, Slippery Rock and Zelienople, or by calling (724) 284-4000.

Cranberry
Child raising workshop planned

"Raising Resilient Children and Teens" is the topic of a free workshop from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Cranberry Public Library, 2525 Rochester Road.

The adults-only program is sponsored by the library and the North Hills Youth Ministry Counseling Center, and registration is requested.

To register, call the library at (724) 776-9100.

Region
Bus trip to be held for concert

The Butler County and Slippery Rock parks and recreation departments are sponsoring a bus trip to Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh Symphony Pops concert March 9.

Bill Conti and the orchestra will salute Henry Mancini, who grew up in Aliquippa and wrote such songs as "Moon River" and "The Days of Wine and Roses."

The cost is $50, and boarding sites are Slippery Rock Park and the upper parking lot in Alameda Park in Butler Township.

For details and ticket purchases, call (724) 284-5383.

Tax forms offered at three locations

State Sen. Jane Clare Orie, a McCandless Republican, will offer state and federal tax forms in three Butler County locations.

The locations are the Penn Township Municipal Building, 157 E. Airport Road, (724) 586-1165; Buffalo Township Municipal Building, 109 Bear Creek Road, (724) 295-2648; and Clinton Township Municipal Building, 711 Saxonburg Blvd., (724) 352-9000.

The forms also can be downloaded at the state Department of Revenue Web site at www.revenue.state.pa.us.