Veterans invited to free holiday lunch
A free holiday luncheon for veterans is planned for noon Dec. 17 at the Ross Community Center, 1000 Ross Municipal Drive.
The event is being hosted by the Ross Township Parks and Recreation Department.
To make a reservation, call 412-931-7041.
Police departments collecting toys
The annual Ross/West View Police Toy Drive is wrapping up Dec. 13.
A special drop-off event featuring police officers, Santa and the Grinch is planned from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 13 at Studio Raw Elite, 3185 Babcock Blvd.
Monetary donations also can be made to help the effort at zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/rosswest-view-police-toy-drive.
Drive-in holiday laser show planned in North Park
Allegheny County Parks is hosting a one-of-a-kind drive-in Holiday Laser Show from Dec. 17-23 at the pool parking lot in North Park.
The 40-minute light show will be synchronized to holiday music.
Showtimes are offered at 6:30, 8 and 9:30 p.m.
Tickets cost $30 per vehicle, and all sales are final. Each ticket, which will be issued via QR code, is nonrefundable and cannot be exchanged for another date or time.
To purchase a ticket, visit alleghenycounty.us/Parks-and-Events/Special-Events/Holiday-Laser-Show.
In the event of cancellation due to inclement weather, participants will be notified via email. Updates also will be posted on the Allegheny County Parks Facebook page.
Ice rink open through Feb. 28
The Dick’s House of Sport outdoor ice rink at Ross Park Mall is open through Feb. 28.
Free skate trainers also are on-site to help everyone feel confident on the ice.
The cost is $10 per person; skate rental is $6 per person and can be purchased during check-in.
Open skate hours are from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 2 to 8 p.m. Saturdays; noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The rink is closed on Christmas Day and from Dec. 22 to Jan. 3 for winter break. During the week of Christmas, the rink will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Friday.
Roving DUI patrol yields 2 arrests, 44 citations, 77 warnings
The North Hills DUI Task Force organized a DUI detail on Nov. 21 in conjunction with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Checkpoint Strike Force.
The task force conducted a roving DUI patrol along various roads in Aspinwall, Blawnox, Etna, Hampton, Indiana Township, O’Hara, Richland, Shaler and West Deer.
Officers stopped 94 vehicles for various traffic violations, and two individuals were given a field sobriety test and subsequently arrested for DUI.
There were 44 citations and 77 warnings issued for various vehicle code violations.
This is the 29th year for the North Hills DUI Task Force. To date, 268 checkpoints/roving patrols have been conducted, and 2,294 individuals were tested for DUI, resulting in 1,082 arrests.
The task force consists of officers from Aspinwall, Blawnox, Etna, Franklin Park, Hampton, Indiana Township, McCandless, Millvale, Northern Regional, O’Hara, Reserve, Ross, Shaler, West Deer and West View.
Commissioners pursue demolition of 3 properties
Ross commissioners are considering demolishing three condemned buildings.
The buildings are located at 268 Bascom Ave., 4526 Mount Troy Road Ext. and 193 6th Avenue. They are all in disrepair, have been determined to be uninhabitable and taxes are delinquent, according to the township.
No one spoke during a public hearing held during the commissioners Nov. 17 meeting.
Journalism scholarship open to W.Pa. students
The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania is accepting applications for its 20th annual Bob Fryer Memorial Scholarship ($5,000) along with the club’s annual $2,500 for aspiring journalists.
The awards are designed to encourage outstanding undergraduate journalism students in print, broadcasting and multimedia. Candidates must be sophomores or juniors enrolled in an accredited college or university in one of Western Pennsylvania’s 29 counties, which include Allegheny, Westmoreland, Armstrong and Butler.
Applications are available at WesternPApressclub.org or by calling 412-281-7778.
Winners will be awarded at the club’s annual Golden Quills awards dinner.
AARP seeking tax-prep aides
The AARP Foundation is seeking volunteers to be trained for its tax aide program, the nation’s largest free volunteer-based tax preparation program.
Volunteers can be trained as tax return preparers or as client facilitators. Anyone interested in volunteering can call 724-374-3780.
For details, visit AARPfoundation.org/taxaide.
Animal Friends needs pet food
Animal Friends is in need of food for dogs, cats and rabbits.
Donations benefit the shelter’s homeless animals as well as the hungry pets whose owners are clients of Animal Friends’ Chow Wagon Pet Food Pantry and Meals on Wheels partners.
Visit thinkingoutsidethecage.org/get-involved/wish-list for links to Animal Friends’ Amazon Wish List, Chewy Wish List, Chow Wagon Pet Food Bank and Kuranda Bed Wish List. Purchases made on those sites can be delivered directly to Animal Friends.
Donations of unopened pet food also can be dropped off in the grey donation bins in the lobby of Animal Friends, 562 Camp Horne Road, Ohio Township.
If a tax receipt is needed for in-kind donations made through the online Wish Lists, contact Animal Friends’ development team at 412-847-7051 or development@ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org.
Singles welcome to join Association of University People
The Association of University People invites singles 50 and older who are four-year college graduates to join them for activities and to meet new people. Activities include spring/summer picnics, monthly dinners, a book group, Scrabble, meeting up at wineries and local outdoor concerts.
Those interested can attend three activities as guests before joining.
For details about AUP or to become a member, call and leave a message at 412-353-9088 or email aupsingles@gmail.com.
To have your news or event listed, email editor Marje Horvath at mhorvath@triblive.com.