Attention Dog Owners

The Allegheny Health Department has announced that the 2018 Annual Raccoon Rabies Vaccination Baiting Project will take place from August 3 through August 17, 2018.

Please click RABIES BAITING to view the flyer from the Health Department for more information on the project.

*** UPDATE - Click for the "Flood Relief Free Store" informational flyer ***

St. Margaret Foundation Coordinates Efforts to Restore Neighbors to Their Homes After the Summer 2018 Floods

St. Margaret Foundation is partnering with O'Hara Township Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program, North Hills Community Outreach, Fox Chapel Plaza, Fox Chapel Area Online Yardsale Community and many volunteers to answer the call of people in crisis after recent flooding ripped through Fox Chapel Area. The Foundation is collecting donations and providing a Flood Relief Drop-off Center and Free store which opens for drop off on Saturday.

"People in our community have lost the freedom of a safe and healthy home," said Mary Lee Gannon, president of St. Margaret Foundation which is coordinating the efforts. "We have to fill in that gap with hope for our neighbors in crisis.

" When most people were celebrating the independence of our country this week, many residents of the Fox Chapel Area of Pittsburgh were bailing out their basements and first floors, hoping they would be able to spend the night in their houses. Devastating storms tore through the communities surrounding St. Margaret Hospital - Sharpsburg, Blawnox, O'Hara Township, Aspinwall, Fox Chapel and Indiana Township twice this week. Floods caused many people to lose everything in their basements and first floors, including appliances, furniture, and a livable environment.

DONATIONS: An outpouring of requests came to St. Margaret Foundation and O'Hara Township from people wanting to donate money to help rehabilitate the homes of flood victims in the area. To donate go to http://www.stmargaretfoundation.org/index.php/donation and choose 'FLOOD RELIEF - FOX CHAPEL AREA' from the drop-down menu. North Hills Community Outreach is partnering with St. Margaret Foundation to distribute the funds to residents of the Fox Chapel Area School District and surrounding areas and will conduct home visits to prioritize the need.

FOX CHAPEL AREA FLOOD VICTIMS IN NEED: Flood victims interested in applying for support from the Flood Relief Fund should contact North Hills Community Outreach at 412-487-6316 or help@nhco.org.

ST. MARGARET FOUNDATION FLOOD RELIEF DROP-OFF and FREE STORE: Mr. Alex Condron of Fox Chapel Plaza, former board chairman of St. Margaret Foundation, has donated storefront space in Fox Chapel Plaza at the corner of Fox Chapel Road and Freeport Road - 1151 Freeport Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 - for a St. Margaret Foundation Flood Relief Drop-Off Center and Free Store. The store will be operated by The Fox Chapel Area Online Yardsale community. It opens Saturday, July 7th and Sunday July 8th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm for DROP-OFF ONLY. It will be open for drop-off and free store pick up on Monday, July 9th, Wednesday, July 11th, Friday, July 13th, and Saturday, July 14th, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm each day. The Free Store is requesting furniture, area rugs, fans, dehumidifiers, space heaters, storage containers. Please no clothes, toys, shoes, holiday ornaments. For more information on the Store contact: FCAreaFloodRelief@gmail.com.

For more information on any of these programs please contact St. Margaret Foundation at 412-784-4215, smf@upmc.edu or www.StMargaretFoundation.org.

PARK

Police Superintendent Retiring; New Superintendent Appointed

The Township of O'Hara Council is announcing the retirement of Police Superintendent James R. Farringer effective July 30, 2018.

Jim was hired as a police officer with the Township on April 9, 1978. He was promoted to the position of Superintendent and sworn into office on January 11, 2005. He has been an active member of the Allegheny County Chiefs of Police Association, Western PA Chief's Association, Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, National Chiefs of Police Association and International Police Chiefs Association. Jim also is the Township's Emergency Management Coordinator.

During his over 40 years of service, Jim has selflessly and valiantly served the residents of the Township of O'Hara and surrounding communities.

After his retirement, Jim plans to enjoy riding his motorcycle and traveling with his wife.

Township Council would like to thank Jim for his years of service and congratulate him on his well-earned retirement.

Council is also announcing the appointment of Sergeant Scott K. Slagel as the Superintendent of the Township of O'Hara Police Department.

Scott joined the Township Police Department on March 2, 1994 as a patrol officer. He was promoted to Sergeant on December 11, 2007. Scott holds a degree in Administration of Justice from Penn State University and resides in the Fox Chapel Area School District with his wife and 3 sons.

Scott plans on maintaining Jim's legacy of providing excellent police services to our community. He also plans on focusing on school safety and community policing. He believes it is imperative to maintain the trust and respect of the community.

Township Council would like to congratulate Scott on his promotion and wish him great success as the Superintendent for the Township of O'Hara Police Department.

Allegheny County 2018 Side Yard and Blighted Structure Program: NOW OPEN

For a limited time only, the Allegheny County Vacant Property Recovery Program will be accepting applications to acquire vacant properties for side yards to an owner-occupied primary residence or blighted structure remediation at a reduced cost to the applicant. Under the 2018 Side Yard and Blighted Structure Program, we will waive our standard parcel fee of $3,000 for applicants for a side yard to their primary residence and applicants proposing to demolish a blighted structure. We will reduce the fee to $1,400 for applicants proposing to rehabilitate a blighted structure. All applicants will also be responsible for the appraised value of the property, a good faith deposit, and closing costs. The application, which contains additional details about the Program guidelines, can be accessed at our website: www.alleghenycounty.us/VPRP

We will accept up to 60 applications across all participating municipalities in the order they are received, but will accept no more than 5 applications from any single municipality. We may increase these limits at our discretion. All applications that are pre-screened eligible and complete will be forwarded to the municipality for consideration of the applicant's proposed re-use plan. Please note that in cases where an applicant is proposing to demolish a structure, the applicant must obtain a letter of support from the municipality verifying that the structure presents a safety hazard.

Upon completion of the 2018 Side Yard and Blighted Structure Program, applicants may continue to apply for properties through our standard program, which operates on an ongoing basis. Under our standard program, applicants pay all of the costs associated with acquiring a property located in a municipality in which less than 51 percent of households are low to moderate income. If the percentage of low to moderate income households in your municipality increases to 51 percent or more in the future, your municipality may become eligible for ongoing acquisition cost assistance.

Penn DOT Announces Sealcoat (tar/chip) Repair Project

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has informed the Township of a sealcoat (tar/chip) repair project on the routes listed below beginning in the spring/summer after May 28, 2018.

• SR 1003 (North Canal Street to Kittanning Street)
• SR 1004 (Seifried Lane to Kirkwood Drive)
• SR 1007 (Ravine Street to Sharpshill Road)
• SR 1009 (Powers Run Road)

This is an essential program for extending the longevity of the roadway. Signs will be posted in advance of this operation.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this project please call Penn DOT at 412-781-3260.

Freeport Road Bridge Closure begins Monday, May 7

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, District 11 is announcing the closure of the Freeport Road (Route 1001) bridge over the Norfolk Southern Railroad, between Aspinwall Borough and Sharpsburg Borough, will occur on Monday, May 7. Replacement work on the bridge will require a 120 day closure. Traffic will be detoured via the Highland Park Bridge, Butler Street and the 62nd Street Bridge.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information, and access to more than 850 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Fox Chapel Road Bridge Construction

Pugliano Construction Co Inc (PCCI) has provided notification of traffic restrictions on Fox Chapel Road in Fox Chapel Borough between Indian Hill Road and Squaw Run Road East (near the Fox Chapel Golf Club) beginning April 5, 2018. Traffic will be controlled under a single alternating lane by temporary traffic signals.

The work is a bridge replacement project being performed for PennDOT and the County of Allegheny and is scheduled to be complete by July, 2018.

Route 28 Highland Park Interchange Reconstruction Project

PennDOT District 11 and the Federal Highway Administration hosted a public meeting on Tuesday, December 12 to provide information on the Route 28 Highland Park Interchange Reconstruction Project.

The proposed project will address the existing bottleneck and congested traffic flow on Route 28 at the Highland Park interchange. Work includes the reconstruction of Route 28 between the Delafield Avenue interchange and Route 1003 (North Canal Street/Kittanning Pike), re-establishing two travel lanes in each direction through the interchange, and improvements of the acceleration and deceleration ramps. Route 28 ramp reconstruction work with the Highland Park Bridge and Route 1001 (Freeport Road), safety improvements, bridge preservation, and other miscellaneous construction activities are also included in the project.

If you were unable to attend the meeting on the Reconstruction Project here is a link to the PennDOT website that has all the information that was presented at the meeting- http://www.penndot.gov/RegionalOffices/district-11/PublicMeetings/Pages/default.aspx.

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