House fire
A Jefferson Hills home was heavily damaged after an early morning house fire on Jan. 26.
According to Pleasant Hills Volunteer Fire Company, the company was called to a home on Hunters Field Circle just before 3:30 a.m. Firefighters encountered flames in the back of the home. No injuries were reported during the incident. The Allegheny County Fire Marshal is investigating.
Joann Fabrics to close
Fabric and crafts retailer Joann will close at least 30 stores in Pennsylvania, including the Pleasant Hills location at the Southland Shopping Center and most in the region.
The embattled retailer, which declared bankruptcy in March 2024 and then again in January, said it would be closing around 500 stores nationwide.
West Jefferson Hills Historical Society
A cookie table fundraiser for the West Jefferson Hills Historical Society will be held on April 12 at the Jefferson Hills municipal building. Eighteen different cookie varities will be sold in bags of four for $5 or a dozen for $14. A sampler box of all 18 cookies will be available for $20. Sampler and single-flavor dozen boxes must be ordered and pre-paid by April 1 and will not be for sale the day of. Fill your own dozen boxes and bags of four cookies may be purchased the day of the event. Order forms are available at the Jefferson Hills Library, Pleasant Hills Library, at February and March WJHHS programs or online at westjeffersonhillshistoricalsociety.org. Cookies must be picked up between noon and 3 p.m.
AUP/Association of University People
The Association of University People invites singles 50 , who are four-year college graduates, to join them for activities and to meet new people. Activities include monthly dinners, social gatherings, concerts, meeting up at local wineries, day trips and Scrabble.
Those interested can attend three activities as guests before joining. To obtain more information about AUP or become an AUP member, call and leave a message at 412-353-9088 or email Aupsingles@gmail.com.
Chabad of the South Hills
Camp Gan Izzy is set for June 30-July 1 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. each day. Children aged 4-11 are welcome to enjoy Jewish themes, specialty clubs, swimming, weekly trips, sports, science, baking and crafts with experienced staff in a warm and caring environment. Daily lunch and snacks are included. Early bird pricing until March 1 and limited scholarships are available.
Register online at chabadsh.com/cgi. For more information, contact Hindy at hindy@chabadsh.com or 412-344-2424.
Chabad of the South Hills presents Purim Comedy Night featuring John Pizzi Comedian and Ventriloquist at 7:30 p.m. March 13. Hear the Megillah and enjoy light bites and open bar. Cost is $36 per person before March 1 and $50 per person after March 1. The event will be held at Chabad of the South Hills’ new location, 1700 Bower Hill Road. RSVP at Chabadsh.com/comedy.
Purim in the Palace is set for 5 p.m. March 14 at Chabad of the South Hills, 1701 McFarland Road in Mt. Lebanon. The event will feature an animated Megillah reading, royal Purim feast and more. Advanced pricing is $18 for adults and $12 for children. A family maximum price is $54. RSVP at chabadsh.com/purim.
South Hills Coin Club
The monthly meeting of the South Hills Coin Club will be held March 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bethel Park municipal building, 5100 West Library Ave. All members and the general public are invited. This month’s program will the gold confiscation of 1933 part 2. A 50/50 will be offered and children’s prizes to be awarded. Applications are now being accepted for membership. For more information, call 724-984-6611.
South Hills Women’s Club
The South Hills Women’s Club will meet on March 10 at Vanadium Woods Lobby, 50 Vanadium Road, Bridgeville, at 8 p.m. Following a brief meeting, guest speaker Amanda Dunyak Gillen will speak on “The History of the Frick Pittsburgh, the Frick family and mansion, the Clayton.”
Gillen is the director of learning and visitor experience at the Frick Pittsburgh. She will present a program about the Frick family and its most important legacies in the city – their mansion and art museum in Point Breeze.
Refreshments and dessert will be served. If interested in attending, please contact Diane at 412-965-4714 or Judy at 412-414-1232. New members and guests are welcome to attend.
South Hills Coin Club
The monthly meeting of the South Hills Coin Club will be held March 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bethel Park municipal building, 5100 West Library Ave. All members and the general public are invited. This month’s program will the gold confiscation of 1933 part 2. A 50/50 will be offered and children’s prizes to be awarded. Applications are now being accepted for membership. For more information, call 724-984-6611.
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Fish fry
Triumph of the Holy Cross Parish will hold its annual Lenten Fish Fry beginning on March 7 and running every Friday during Lent at St. Thomas a Becket Church Annex, 139 Gill Hall Road in Jefferson Hills. The Lenten Fish Fry is open for eat-in dinner and take-out from 4-7 p.m. Take-out orders are available by calling 412-655-9966 any time after 3 p.m. on Fridays. Pick-up for all takeout orders is located in the lower level of the Annex building.
Please visit the parish website at triumphoftheholycrosspgh.org to view the current menu and pricing. There is a variety of delicious, homemade dinner specials and baked goods available each Friday. All of the fish served is fresh cod, and the fried fish is hand-breaded. For more information, call the parish office at 412-755-2046.
Whitehall Borough Historical Society
Dr. William Switala will give a presentation on the Underground Railroad in Western Pennsylvania for the Whitehall Borough Historical Society on Feb. 27. The event will highlight the crucial role played by Allegheny County and take place at 7 p.m. at the Whitehall Borough Building’s community room, 100 Borough Park Drive. A retired educator with 39 years of experience, Switala has authored seven books, including three on the Underground Railroad.
For more information, visit whitehallboroughhistoricalsociety.org.
Garden Club
The first meeting of the Whitehall Green Thumbers Garden Club in 2025 will be held March 6 at the Whitehall Borough Community Room at 7 p.m. Speaker Doug Oster will share his best gardening tips. Celebrating its 50th year, the garden club is an educational organization whose object is to stimulate interest in horticulture, promote the dissemination of garden knowledge, encourage civic planning and create public interest in the conservation of natural resources. The club offers monthly speakers on a variety of topics, participates in community events, sponsors an annual $2,000 scholarship to a Baldwin High School Senior, maintains the planting outside the Whitehall Library, and supports the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden and Phipps Conservatory. Guests are always welcome. The Annual Spring Luncheon will be held on April 26 at Salvatore’s Events & Catering, Curry Road, Baldwin. Cost is $40. Please visit our Facebook Group at Whitehall Green Thumbers Garden Club for gardening tips and to see upcoming club activities, or contact us at WGTGC@outlook.com.
Comedy night fundraiser
Following the overwhelming success of their first Comedy Night fundraiser, the Rotary Club of Pleasant Hills is thrilled to announce its second Comedy Night Fundraiser on March 29 at the Library Fire Hall in South Park. Doors open at 6 p.m., dinner is at 6:30 p.m., and the comedy show featuring John Knight, Jason Allen King and David Kaye starts at 8 p.m. Cost is $50 per person.
This year’s event promises to be even bigger and better, with all proceeds supporting scholarships, local food banks and other community initiatives.
Tickets are available by contacting Janet Sardon at 412-605-9425 or online at slapsticksproductions.com.
Please note this is a 21-and-over event.
Pierogi sale
St. Pius X Byzantine Catholic Church in Carrick is holding a pierogi sale from March 7 to April 11, noon to 4 p.m. Cooked potato and cheese pierogies can be ordered for $11 for a dozen and $6 for a half dozen. Other flavors include sauerkraut and cottage cheese. Frozen pierogi varieties are also available.
Preorders can be made by calling 412-881-8344 and leaving your name and the amount that you want to order.
Sustainability fair
St. Gabriel Church Hall, 5200 Greenridge Drive in Whitehall, will be the site of a Sustainability Fair from noon-3 p.m. March 1. Hosted by Whitehall’s Environmental Committee, the event is free and open to the public. Earth friendly and fair trade items will be available for sale from local vendors, children’s crafts made from recycled materials and volunteer opportunities will be available.
Bring ink toner and cartridges; markers, crayons and pens; clean, worn out athletic shoes; clean durable medical equipment including canes, walkers, wheelchairs, bed rails and crutches; and clean plastic film and packaging and single use plastic bags for recycling.