Cornell EditionServing Coraopolis and Neville Island communities of Cornell School DistrictVolume 1, Number 2Winter 2019One of four editions serving 17 airport area communities.www.awmagazine.comFREE Direct Mail Community PublicationAllegheny WestMagazineINSIDE!OfficialNewsletterPage 13 Coraopolis Memorial Library gets new librarianChriste sworn in as historical society presidentCoraopolis Presbyterian pays homage with bellCurbing the problem of human traffickingalso:Growing Up Can Be Tough.Finding the Right Doctor for Your Child Doesn’t Have to be.Dr. Elizabeth Massella specializes in not just Pediatrics, but Adolescent Medicine too.She takes the time to get to know your child and what his or her concerns are and what your concerns are too!Congratulations,ELIZABETH MASSELLA, MDChosen as one of Pittsburgh’s Best Doctors 2017-18412-505-8148400 MARKET PLACE DRIVE, IMPERIAL • WMCPAPHYSICIANS.COMWinter 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 3P. O. 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Thank you in advance for doing your part for our earth.Hughey Publications, LLC also publishes the West Allegheny Edition of Allegheny West Magazine, the Montour Edition of Allegheny West Magazine, and the Moon Edition of Alleghney West Magazine.MEMBER“GOOD NEWS ALWAYS, MAILED & DELIVERED FREE, EVERY TIME”Allegheny West Magazine - Cornell Edition, is an all positive, good news publication mailed free into the homes and businesses of the Cornell School District communities of Coraopolis and Neville Island to connect communities, promote people, heighten awareness about the richness of the airport region, and build pride in the western suburbs of Allegheny County.Allegheny WestMagazineNow in Our20th YearProudly Serving the Airport AreaPUBLISHER AND EDITORDoug HugheyWRITERSJill BordoPat Jennette Jocelyn GreckoGRAPHIC DESIGNSarah KizinaWEBMASTERwww.ddswebdesign.comCONTRIBUTORSBarb Kleyman Jesse ForquerFOUNDING PUBLISHERPat Jennette• Allegheny West Magazine • Winter 20194Allegheny West Magazine-Cornell Edition is published in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer, four issues a year, Hughey Publications, LLC, P. O. Box 220, McDonald, PA 15057. Mailed and distributed free to residents and businesses in Coraopolis, Neville Island and Cornell School District. Extra copies available at municipal offices, schools, libraries, stores, advertisers, hotels, and businesses. Available by mail subscription for $15 annually. Story ideas welcomed. Community events and announcements from non-profit groups must be received by the 15th of the month prior to publishing date. Announcements are limited to 30 words and must include a contact phone number. Reproduction of any artwork, photographs, or copy prepared by Allegheny West Magazine is strictly prohibited without written consent of Hughey Publications LLC. Copyright 1999-2019 Allegheny West Magazine. All rights reserved. Views and opinions expressed by contributors and/or advertisers are the responsibility of the contributors and not those of the publisher of Allegheny West Magazine.Dear Readers, Thank you for picking up our second-ever Cornell edition of Allegheny West Magazine. Hopefully, you caught our previous Cornell edition this past October. I’m grateful to those in the area who have been reaching out to us with suggestions and ideas. I’m hopeful that kind of enthusiasm continues. When this publication was started 20 years ago, it was done so with the goal of connecting communities across western Allegheny County. As such, we occasionally will run a story that profiles a certain locally grown industry that touches on several of the areas that we cover, which also includes the Moon Area School District, the West Allegheny School District and Montour School District. As such, in this edition, we’re taking a look at seven different wineries in our coverage areas. We’re also listing some satellite wineries that produce wine elsewhere in the state but are selling their wine locally. We’re bringing you a bit of background on each winery so you’ll know what to expect if you decide to visit them. Much like the individuals behind the various breweries popping up in the area, many of these entrepreneurs came from a variety of walks of life before they entered into wine making. Now, their efforts are adding a unique flavor to the area and raising awareness of locally made products. Read more, starting on page 24. Starting on page 13, be sure to read the latest Cornell School District newsletter. This month, read about several new efforts that the district is undertaking to improve school From thePublisherSnow covers homes near the west end of Coraopolis in this view of the borough from Aleppo Township. In the future, the Coraopolis Historical Society will be studying the history behind Coraopolis’ various types of homes. They’ll also be holding historical home tours. Read more on page 6. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER ROLINSONCornell EditionWinter 2019 ~ Volume 1, Number 2ColumnsABOUT THE COVER{ }ContentsAround Your Town -Legislative Update -Your Schools -On the Horizon -Chamber Link -68101223Winter 2019 • www.awmagazine.com •5------66781324safety and some professional development initiatives teachers are pursuing in order to improve their classrooms. We’re also bringing you guidance updates for the elementary school and high school. On page 22, check out a listing of spring sport schedules. On page 6, we’re bringing you some news from Coraopolis Borough. The library has a director and the historical society has a new president. Coraopolis Presbyterian Church also recently installed a new bell. Read the story behind each of these news items on pages six and seven. Peruse upcoming area happenings in our On the Horizon section on page 30 and, if you know of an event or local happening that you think we should list, please reach out to us. Look for our next edition in June, when the weather will be much warmer and we’ll be bringing you our annual Summer Fun Guide. Doug Hughey,Publisher/EditorCoraopolis Memorial Library gets new directorChriste sworn in as historical society presidentCoraopolis Presbyterian Church pays homage with refurbished bellCurbing the problem of human traffickingCornell TodayLocal Winery GuideFresh snow covers the courtyard outside of Coraopolis Presbyterian Church in downtown Coraopolis. The church recently unveiled a bell on its grounds that pays homage to another former area church. Read more on page 7. PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEY6 • Allegheny West Magazine • Winter 2019 When Stacey Christe, the newly elected president of the Coraopolis Historical Society, talks with local residents, she usually gets the same question: “What can you tell me about the history of my house?” Christe says researching local homes is going to be one of the historical society’s priorities. Not only will the group be studying the borough’s grand, Victorian-era homes on Coraopolis’ main streets but also the area’s manufactured homes built by companies such as Sears and Roebuck. Christe and her husband, Wil, are the owners of a McKown and Beattie house, which is another of the homes they will be investigating. McKown and Beattie Lumber and Building Supply Company was located at 865 Fourth Avenue in Coraopolis from 1904 until 1989. Christe was sworn in as president of the Coraopolis Historical Society on Jan. 2. She replaces former town mayor Joe DiVito. Though new to an elected office, Christe has been an asset to those interested in the bygone days of Coraopolis ever since she moved to the area in 2012. A native of Erie, Christe began studying her home town as a way to become grounded and learn about the place in which she and Wil chose to put down roots. She studied English and history at Edinboro University. She then honed her skills as a researcher during the 20 years she worked as a paralegal. Christe is also passionate about genealogy and has spent the last 10 years researching her own family tree as well as the bloodlines of 12 to 15 friends. It was second nature to Christe to collect online information about the past of her new town. However, she took things a step farther when she began bidding on eBay for artifacts and collectibles related to Coraopolis. In addition to historical books about the town, Christe purchased many postcards that depict Coraopolis in its heyday during the first half of the 20th century. Using the postcards as points of reference, she began taking long walks around the area to compare the past with the present. Christe discovered that the existing telephone poles are in the same spots as those in the postcards and that counting the poles created “an insanely accurate” method of matching current buildings to those photographed in the past. In October of 2015, Christe founded the Coraopolis History Archive, a website containing a digital repository of historical information. One aspect of the site allows visitors to take “then and now” walking tours using the old postcards. The archive also recently became the historical society’s official website. Another area of fascination for Christe that led to a working partnership was the Coraopolis railroad connection. The sound CAround Your TownAround Your Town For years, Mary Hampe of Coraopolis has been telling family members that, one day, when she was finished with her teaching career, she was going to work at the Coraopolis Memorial Library. Last year, she made good on that promise when she accepted a part-time position as the children’s librarian. Then, at the start of this year, Hampe was hired as the library’s new director. She takes over the job from Jessica Watson, who first hired her. A lifelong Coraopolis resident, Hampe says she never expected to land what amounts to her dream job so fast, but she says she’s glad she did. She says she’s excited to be taking on a position in an area that appears to be experiencing an upswing, with new businesses and young people increasingly getting involved in the community. She says she and the rest of her staff, in particular administrative assistant Mary LaRocca and library clerk Sarah Ismail, will be looking for ways to get people back into the library. Many locals would likely know Hampe, not only because she’s lived in Coraopolis Borough her entire life, but also because she taught many of their children. For 18 years, she taught and worked at various schools in the area, including Cornell, Moon Area, St. Joseph’s and, most recently, Saint Killian’s Parish School in Cranberry Township. There, she was the school’s librarian and technology teacher. She held a similar position at St. Joseph’s before it closed. “It’s nice to know the community,” she says. “I taught a lot of their children.” During her teaching career, Hampe largely taught elementary students and so, she says, she’s looking to bolster the library’s offerings of children’s programs in an effort to promote childhood literacy. As such, she says the library will again be holding its annual summer reading program and looking for ways to engage children through various events. Shortly after Hampe was hired in October, the library hosted a Halloween event with crafts that attracted about 80 children. A subsequent Christmas event attracted about 50 children. At the time of this writing, the library is also planning an entire week’s worth of Valentine’s Day-themed events with crafts, a film and more. As well, Hampe says she’s taking on an outreach program at Cornell by reading to children at the school and participating in the Children’s Choice Book Awards. The library also hosts regular children’s events such as story time, Lego playtime and more. Not all of the library’s programs are aimed at children, however. A new program started by LaRocca invites adults into the library each month to view a travel-themed film on the library’s new media center and then discuss it. The library also hosts a regular knitting group, book discussion groups and a film screening group. For a list of upcoming events, see page 30. Stay up to date on the library’s full gamut of programming at coraopolislibrary.org.Coraopolis Memorial Library gets new directorSTORY AND PHOTO BY JILL BORDOSTORY BY DOUG HUGHEYPHOTO SUBMITTEDChriste sworn in as new historical society president Mary HampeStacey ChristeWinter 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 7 A couple of years ago, Coraopolis Presbyterian Church got 11 new congregation members and, along with them, a church bell. That bell had long hung in a steeple at Moon Run Presbyterian Church in Robinson Township. Longtime Moon Run Presbyterian Church member Janet Barton says she believes it may very well have hung there since the church was constructed in the early 19th century. A few years ago, the church sold the building to a developer that has since converted it into an apartment complex. The majority of the contents of the building, Barton says, were donated to other area churches. She says that was one of the most difficult parts of dissolving the church that she’d been a member of since 1957. “It was very sad, “ she says. “It was very hard to break the church up and get rid of all the items because of all the history that went with it.” A piece of her former church, though, followed Barton and 10 other former members from Moon Run to Coraopolis Presbyterian Church, which received Moon Run’s bell as a gift. For the past two years, the church has been working to restore the old bell. “We’ve put well over 90 hours into it,” says Rev. Tom Petrosky, the pastor at Coraopolis Presbyterian Church. “There’s been some cleaning, sand blasting, some welding on the support system.” He says the bell, which was minted in 1892, was functioning when it was pulled out of the church in Moon Run. Earlier this year, the restored bell was installed in the parking lot outside of Coraopolis Presbyterian Church, where those coming to worship can easily get up close and even ring it if they want. For Barton and the 10 other former members of Moon Run Presbyterian, it’s a bittersweet piece of history from a church that some belonged to for decades. Barton says that, in the years leading up to its closing, Moon Run Presbyterian’s membership had been dwindling. Of the churches she visited, Barton says Coraopolis Presbyterian was the best fit. “It was the only one that felt most at home for me,” she says. Coraopolis Presbyterian pays homage with bellThis refurbished bell, which was recently installed outside of Coraopolis Presbyterian Church, once hung in the steeple at Moon Run Presbyterian Church in Robinson Township. It’s now found a new home, along with 11 members from Moon Run. CAround Your TownSTORY AND PHOTO BY DOUG HUGHEYAround Your Townof the trains passing eased her homesickness for her former lake town and made her feel connected to her new river town. In early 2016, Christe became the preservationist for the Coraopolis train station project. She both created and maintained a website that detailed the team’s efforts and progress. She is currently conducting in-depth research on the history and architecture of the station. Once Christe’s collection of eBay artifacts became too large for her home she donated them to the Coraopolis Historical Society and began to work more closely with the group. When DiVito decided to step down as president last fall, Christe was an obvious choice for his replacement. The historical society has operated out of a space in the basement of Coraopolis Memorial Library at 601 School Street since late 2014. The “museum” area is currently open to the public 1-3 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, 6-8 p.m. every Thursday, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. the second Saturday of every month. Christe is grateful for the years of commitment to the society by DiVito and retiring officers Donna and Tom Buchman. She stated that the group has “meticulously catalogued and showcased” the collections of historical items in an “organized, climate-controlled environment.” New historical society officers Dana Watkins, Pamela Braden and Teresa Kay Reilly are currently assisting Christe with a Coraopolis historic homes tour, an expanded walking tour and scheduled speaker events, including one that will showcase the archive of photographs taken by Pam’s late father, Dr. Frank Braden, a longtime local physician and resident. Other goals of the group are to increase the historical society’s engagement through recruitment and new partnerships; to expand the collections of local church records and histories, yearbooks and oral history projects; and to increase the digital resource program with one area of focus being online digitized maps. One change that has already been implemented is the group’s ability to add new members. In addition to her fulltime job as a fundraiser for TrueSense Marketing, Christe divides her time between three projects for her adopted town. Along with her historical society responsibilities and the train station project, Christe is working with Coraopolis business owners, particularly Ray Kinneman of Emma Jean’s Attic, to promote local shops and restaurants. Christe spent a month walking around the town taking photos of every operating business - a number nearing 200 - to create an up-to-date directory. She said that the majority of the existing publications and printed directories contained businesses that were closed. Kinneman and Christe have organized several pop-up markets and street festivals that they have promoted on social media. Christe said that “the town is grateful that developers like Birch Holdings and Rice Brothers have taken an interest in Coraopolis and are investing in building improvements that retain historic character.” Christe believes that Coraopolis is on the verge of a full-fledged revitalization and that newcomers to the area, as well as former residents who have moved away, are interested in its past and its future. “I’m in it for the long haul,” stated Christe of her new position and her love of Coraopolis.8 • Allegheny West Magazine • Winter 2019lLegislative UpdateBY STATE REP. ANITA KULIKLegislative Update It is difficult to imagine that our area has a problem as horrific as human trafficking, yet, during my time in office, I’ve come to discover that we do. Many people in this area may be aware of the problem of human trafficking but may think of it as occurring primarily in places like New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles or abroad. Yet human trafficking does also occur in Pennsylvania. One reason for this is the state’s major highways, which make Pennsylvania an easy “pass-through” and destination for human cargo. It is both heartbreaking and outrageous to think that children and adults are being traded, bought, sold and smuggled in this modern-day slave trade. Recently, I visited a new business, Firebox Art Studios, in Carnegie. My attention was called to a unique item, a plain metal bracelet with a number stamped on it. The owner of the studio carries artistic items that are created by women. In this case, the bracelet was created by a woman who had been a victim of human trafficking. When purchasing bracelets like this, the studio gives you a small card with the jewelry that contains information to allow you to contact the woman who made the piece and learn her story. While it may be easy to just bury our heads in the sand and pretend this problem does not exist here, it does, and it happens every day. More and more victims are also, sadly, coming from right here in the Commonwealth, with others being brought here to “work.” As of June 30, 2018, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center reported hundreds of calls to its hotline, with well over 100 cases of human trafficking being reported. Of those reported cases: • 106 were related to sex trafficking; • 14 were related to labor trafficking; • Four were related to both sex and labor trafficking; and • Three were related to a non-specified type of trafficking. Fifteen of the reported cases involved men while 105 involved women. Additionally, 74 of the cases centered on adult victims, with 41 minor victims. More shocking is that the cases involved more U.S. citizens than foreign nationals. This clearly points to the fact that this is, indeed, happening here in America, including in Pennsylvania. It is time to put the brakes on this issue, as it is up to us to protect each other. We must not just go after the perpetrators of human trafficking but also look for ways to address the problems that lead some of these young girls and women into the tangled web of traffickers, including poverty and drug addiction. As a legislator, it’s important for me that we work in a bipartisan manner to identify opportunities for legislation that improves short- and long-term victim support programs, allocate funding to develop new training and procedures for law enforcement, and empower victims of human trafficking to come forward so they can enjoy the freedoms all Pennsylvanians rightly deserve. During the last legislative session, several bills were introduced to aid victims of human trafficking yet these bills failed to move to the House for a full vote. Included was H.B. 1389, which would have offered human trafficking awareness education. The General Assembly did enact Act 130, which does several things for children victims of sex trafficking, including: • Providing special relief to restore a victim’s dignity; • Autonomy and safe harbor for sexually exploited children; • Establishing the Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund and imposing penalties; and • Providing for dependency in lieu of delinquency. While these are steps toward the goal of stopping the human cargo chain here in the Commonwealth, more work needs to happen, as these crimes are not stopping. Nor are the number of victims declining. I am eager to work with my colleagues on addressing this issue in the New Year and I would suggest that there is one step that we can all take to alleviate this problem. That step is to promote the hotline mentioned above so that victims have an opportunity to reach out and hopefully get out of their horrid situation. Please pass along the hotline’s number if you think someone you have met or know may be a victim: 1-888-373-7888 In addition to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center’s 24-hour hotline, victims can also text the word HELP to the number 233733. Texting to the aforementioned number will put victims in touch with a specialist who can connect them with services in their immediate area or aid them in their escape. I am proud of the people in our district who are trying to bring attention to this issue. Together, we can, and we will, put an end to human trafficking here in Pennsylvania.State Rep. Anita Kulik, D-Allegheny County, represents the 45th Legislative District.Firebox Art Studios in Carnegie sells bracelets like this one, which was made by a survivor of human trafficking.PHOTO SUBMITTED Curbing the problem of human traffickingRead and share stories from Allegheny West Magazine! Current and back issues can be read at AWMagazine.com. Copy the URL from individual pages and then share via email and on social media.Winter 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 9y>Learning CurvesLearning Curves More than ever, so many of us are focused on making things work for a group of individuals - whether it’s family, our work team, volunteer organizations, our church or a combination. It requires a level of juggling, decision-making and prioritization that can be a real challenge. For most people I know, it has become a normal (and healthy) part of life to have regular check-ins with ourselves to improve our awareness and ensure that we are selecting the right things as priorities. My reflection on decision-making is a result of observing family and friends throughout the fourth quarter and challenging myself to prioritize better. Though I’m passionate about many things, I have learned that there are but a few things that last. So, in this new year, I challenge myself to continue to refine my awareness of those things and all that matters most to me. High on my list is the desire to help others at home and in the workplace. A recent sermon at church brought another priority to mind. In the sermon, a 10-year-old child was complaining about his math homework. He could not understand why he needed to learn multiplication and division. A few years later, his engagement in a challenging school project brought him to the realization that he wants to pursue a medical career. Upon discovering his passion, he quickly understood why he needed that math. What a gift we can give by helping others find their passion! I hope that the goal to help others is a priority for you and your network as well. From where I sit in the employment industry, I see a critical need that presents a good opportunity for all of us: helping our student population get real-life work experience. It is a fact that students are not getting enough work-study opportunities and we need better partnerships between schools and businesses. Pennsylvania requires all school districts to have a K-12 School Counseling Plan as part of Chapter 339. Resources are defined at: www.education.pa.gov/K-12/PACareerStandards/Resources/Pages/339CounselingPlan.aspx. In a tight labor market with increasing job vacancies, employers face a growing skills gap. Too many young Americans graduate with degrees and skills that don’t match the needs of employers. An effective solution is to provide students with real-life work experience before graduation. Having high school students learn early on about the most sought-after educational disciplines, workplace culture and how their educational experience translates into the real world helps ensure that students graduate with the skills and education employers need. Express Employment Professionals partners with local entities to provide early education and work-study opportunities for high school students to help raise a workforce prepared to fill the shortage of skilled workers. Another Express solution is Job Genius, a free, video-based program created by Express to successfully prepare students to enter the workforce. The program also serves as a tool to connect educators with the needs of businesses. With parent and facilitator guides for teachers, Job Genius explores everything from job market forecasts, post-secondary education requirements and resume creation, to career pathing, interviewing, money management, and the soft skills employers are looking for but do not find in a startling 27 percent of applicants. Express’ Pittsburgh West office will help high school teachers facilitate this program, which can be customized for the classroom or other groups looking to help students prepare for future work. “Job vacancies continue to outnumber available workers,” said Bill Stoller, Express CEO. “That means we need to continue drawing more people into the workforce, with an especially strong focus on helping those of limited means recognize and seize the opportunities that are out there. Businesses, educators and community leaders need to work together to remove as many barriers to jobs as possible.” It is necessary and right for every level of the community- businesses, schools, churches and volunteer organizations - to provide opportunities for students to experience real-life work and hands-on activity that sets them up to make good life and career decisions. This can be achieved through job shadowing, internships, externships or sharing information about an open job. Also, sharing about our work life helps parents and educators understand the expectations and prepare our future workforce with the skills and education required. I look forward to focusing on my key priority to help as many people as possible in 2019. If I can help you, please reach out to me at deb.gray@expresspros.com.Deb Gray is the owner of Express Pittsburgh West. With offices in Robinson Township and Monaca, Express Pittsburgh West serves the western region of Allegheny County as well as all of Beaver County. Local businesses and job seekers are encouraged to stop by, visit expresspros.com/wpittsburghpa/ or call (412) 494-2000.A New Year and a new opportunity to help a new generation BY DEB GRAYNext >