When the 2018-19 school year begins in August, students and staff will be seeing some new faces, because during the May 14 meeting, the Avonworth School Board approved creating six new positions for the upcoming 2018-19 school year.

The new positions will be for a literacy coach, an elementary assistant principal, a half-time art teacher, a half-time computer teacher, a full-time kindergarten teacher and a full-time eighth grade math teacher.

By JIM RUMBLE

Nobody expected the Northgate girls’ softball team to win a WPIAL title this season, but after 20-plus years of being on the outside looking in, this year’s participation in the playoffs is something to be proud of.

Having to play a tough Chartiers-Houston team in the first round was a tall order for the Lady Flames, who were defeated 15-0 in a game played at West Allegheny this past Wednesday.

“It’s nice to be here,” said second year coach Rob Abramowicz.“I told the girls it was a pleasure coaching them this year.”

Ben Avon council unanimously approved the hiring of Theresa (Terry) Patsch as borough secretary, effective May 14, to replace Lisa Cronin, who submitted her resignation for personal reasons. Patsch's hours have not yet been established for the part-time position, but Cronin offered to extend her time with the borough to help train Patsch.

As the Avonworth/Northgate track and field teams competed at the Pine Richland Invitational last Friday, a veritable monsoon couldn't stop Hunter Robinson's relentless assault on the sprints in Western PA. The Avonworth senior stormed her way to first place gold in the 100 m and 200 m dashes, setting a meet record in the latter event. Her time in the 100 is ranked second in the state, and her time in the 200 is the number-one time in the state.

Avonworth junior Hayden Robinson was nipping at her sister’s heels, though, coming in second in both the 100 and 200.

An angry and extremely vocal crowd of about 50 people spent the better part of two hours Tuesday night telling Bellevue Council why they did not want a transitional housing program operating in the borough.

The Northgate School Board got its first look at a proposed 2018-19 budget during a special workshop meeting Monday night. The $25.1 million general fund spending plan currently features a deficit of $2.5 million, which is likely to change before the final budget is adopted in June.

Everyone knows that first responders -- police, firefighters, EMS -- regularly encounter situations most people hope to avoid. Tuesday, April 10, was a day of rollercoaster emotions for local police and firefighters. On the one hand, there was the rescue of a man and several dogs from a burning building, and the quick and efficient response of fire crews who saved the neighboring homes in the cramped environment of Marie Avenue in Avalon. They focused on their jobs knowing all the while that inside that house, already beyond rescue, were two longtime members of the community.

After reviewing proposals from several companies, Avalon Council voted Tuesday to renew the borough's contract for property inspection with Building Inspection Underwriters.

BIU will provide zoning, building code and rental property inspections, property maintenance and code review and enforcement services. Borough manager Lorraine Makatura said the fees will remain the same, and that they were the lowest fees offered by any of the companies who applied for the contract.

At the direction of Bellevue Council's finance committee, the borough's solicitor is looking into obtaining abandoned property on South Fremont Avenue and possibly turning it into a parking lot.

The lot at 12 S. Fremont Ave. is now vacant after the house was condemned in late 2016 and subsequently demolished. Solicitor Matt Racunas said that the easiest way for the borough to take over the property would be through the delinquent tax collection process. An adjacent property owner could work through Allegheny County's vacant property program to purchase the property.

Marlene A. Boles Marlene A. Boles, of Crescent Township. died Tuesday, March 27, 2018. She is survived by her best friend and husband of 58 years, Bruce Boles; her children, Carol Ann Myers (Theron) of Bellevue, Diana Jodikinos (Nick) of Independence Township and Thomas Boles (Jeanette) of West Norriton, PA; six grandchildren, Nicole, Ava and Nina Jodikinos of Independence Township and Katherine, Michael and Samuel Boles of West Norriton, PA; and a great-grandson, Ryan Boles.

At the March meeting, Ben Avon Council president Jennifer Bett told council she would like to implement working sessions before the regular monthly meetings, where council could meet ahead of time and discuss possible agenda items. On Tuesday, she confirmed her decision, saying the sessions will be held the first Tuesday of the month, beginning May 1, at 7 p.m.

In addition, council voted unanimously to change the May regular council meeting from the third Tuesday, May 15, to Monday, May 14. Earl Bohn and Ken Opipery were absent.

Although still in its most preliminary stages, a study estimating the cost of future capital improvements in the Northgate School District was presented to the school board Monday night. In short, the study projected financial news for taxpayers that goes from bad to worse.

Superintendent Dr. Caroline Johns said that the district began the first phase of an in-depth facilities study in 2016 with the hiring of architectural/engineering firm HHSDR. Last August, the firm presented the results of its study of the district's three schools and their capital improvement needs.