By JIM RUMBLE

After a 5-0 start to the 2017-18 season, the Avonworth girls’ basketball team finds itself on a bit of a downslide, with four losses coming over the last five games.

The most recent loss occurred this past Tuesday, when the Lady ‘Lopes dropped a 55-42 decision to Keystone Oaks in non-section play.

Although Wednesday night’s game between the Northgate Flames and the Avonworth Antelopes boys’ basketball teams started with the Flames taking a nine-point lead, it was the last time Northgate would pull ahead for the rest of the game.

By end of first period, Avonworth led 14-13 on athree-pointer from Jake Harper The score remained close at 24-19 at halftime, but Avonworth pulled out all the stops to move ahead 41-30 at end of third period. Northgate edged back up, 41-38 with six minutes to go in the game, but Avonworth hung on for the 60-43 win.

Emsworth Council held a ceremonial ribbon cutting on Thursday, Dec. 21, in anticipation of the Center Avenue Bridge opening on Friday, Dec. 22, well ahead of the construction deadline of April 2018.

The bridge is owned by Port Authority of Allegheny County. It was closed in February 2017 to make major repairs to improve the safety of the bridge and to enable the removal of weight restrictions.

By TOM STEINER Being named the top student trombonist in Pennsylvania last year was quite an honor for Lukas Helsel, but the Avonworth junior did not stop there.Over Thanksgiving break, Lukas traveled to the National Association for Music Education's All-National Orchestra at Disney's Coronado Spring Resort in Orlando. After last year's state achievement, he had submitted a video audition and was among six trombonists accepted into the orchestra and 14 into the concert band.

The Pennsylvania School Counselor Association recently named Avonworth's Nicole Levis School Counselor of the Year at its annual conference, this year held at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, PA on Thursday, Nov. 30.

The presentation highlighted an awards banquet held during the organization's 62nd annual meeting.

The 2018 Ben Avon budget as presented in November was brought before council on Tuesday, Dec. 12, with a few revisions.

According to council member R.J. White, a minor adjustment was made to increase some of the insurance figures, with an off-setting decrease in the road paving budget. As a result, the budget still stands at $1,233,900.

Council voted unanimously to pass the revised budget. Earl Bohn, Ken Opipery and Brad Cole were absent.

The real estate millage rate for Kilbuck Township residents will decrease in 2018.

At the Dec. 19 meeting of Kilbuck Township supervisors, both the 2018 budget and millage rate were unanimously passed.

The real estate millage rate decreases to 4.9 mills, down from 5.22 mills. The 2018 budget for the township lists projected revenue at $567,850 and expenses at $538,865.

The owner of rental property in Avalon complained to the borough council at their Dec. 14 meeting that inspection fees were getting way too high.

The owner told council that in addition to the annual registration fees, landlords have to pay for inpections of their units every other year. The rate per unit was $25 when the practice began in 2002, he said, and increased to $35 in 2013. This year, he said, he will pay $75 per unit inspection.

Emsworth residents will not face a local tax increase in the new year.

At the Dec. 13 council meeting, a motion to adopt the 2018 millage at 3.955 was unanimously passed. Thus, the 2018 millage rate will remain the same as 2017.

Members Jolene Bennet, Paul Getz and Brian Fashian were absent from the meeting.

Michael J. Delfine Michael J. Delfine, 85, of Baden, formerly of Canonsburg and Bellevue, died Sunday, December 17, 2017.

Bellevue Council member Tom Hrynda, who chaired the committee that planned the celebration of Bellevue’s 150th anniversary in 2017, reported at Tuesday’s council meeting that the events had raised enough money to cover all costs, including repayment of the money advanced by the borough initially.

Hrynda thanked council member Henry Lenard for making the motion to advance the funds to kick off the celebration, but had harsh word for council member Tom Fodi, who opposed the expenditure. “I guess you were a little premature at trying to shut us down at every step,” Hrynda told Fodi.

Hunter Strang Hunter Strang, 18, of Ohio Township, died tragically Sunday, November 26, 2017. He was the son of Ward and Julie (Runberg) Strang; grandson of Bob and Mary Strang, Shirley Runberg, and the late Ken Runberg; nephew of Rick Runberg and his wife Michele; cousin of Gavin and Nathan Runberg, and Jessie, Isaac, and Rebekah Ellis; also survived by many loving relatives and friends. Hunter was an avid outdoorsman, enjoying numerous activities such as fishing, hunting, mudding, and quad-riding. He especially loved his dogs and his "85 Ford pickup and his Honda Fourtrax.