< Previous%Locally SourcedLocally Sourced This still is from the opening of a video produced by Chris Rollinson that has put Coraopolis in the running to appear on an HGTV show. • In February, Coraopolis put its hat in the ring for a unique opportunity with HGTV’s “Home Town Takeover.” The show features Ben and Erin Napier as they travel to a selected town and work on homes and public spaces. Guidelines for the project state that the town must have a population of less than 40,000, homes with great architecture that are in need of a makeover, and a main street that is in need of a face lift. At the time of this writing, Coraopolis is still in the running and, if selected, the town will be featured on a six-episode show that will air in 2021. According to HGTV, over 5,000 submissions were received from across America and an announcement on the winner is expected in March. • Last year, more than 60,000 pounds of food were distributed to local residents through the CCDC’s Food Pantry - a 22 percent increase over the previous year. Nearly 300 area residents received vital assistance twice per month to help feed their families. The launch of the Snack Pack Program in school year 2019-2020 is also helping to increase food security. This program is being run in partnership with local school students. In community-eligible school districts, all students are entitled to breakfast, lunch and dinner on school days. However, the need for sustenance for children over the weekends is palpable. The Snack Pack Program proudly served 47 students so far in this capacity, with the goal of serving 100 families this year. • To build upon the progress made to date on the Coraopolis Train Station Project, additional grant money was needed to move forward with new phases of construction. The CCDC is incredibly grateful to have been awarded grants from the Richard King Mellon Foundation through The Progress Fund; the Allegheny Foundation; the Keystone Communities Program of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development; and the Allegheny County Community Infrastructure and Tourism Fund. Work will move forward in 2020 to completely repair the station’s roof and outside canopy; install permanent utilities; and remove the surrounding chain link fence. • Looking to 2020 and beyond, the need to continue to adapt and evolve is ever present in order to best serve Coraopolis residents and business owners. The CCDC will continue to expand upon its mission of redevelopment and revitalization with a more pointed effort around economic development. As the “downtown” for the surrounding townships and neighborhoods, Coraopolis’ business district is one of the few remaining original main streets in Pittsburgh. Fostering partnerships with those who share the CCDC’s admiration for this community will create more visibility and consumer traffic, adding to the vitality of this special town. The CCDC continues to be humbled and amazed by what the community can accomplish when everyone comes together. Collaboration will be the key to the future as the CCDC looks toward the future. Coraopolis community development update: A possible HGTV appearance, new train station project grants and more BY CARA MASON, DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, CCDC In 2019, the Coraopolis Community Development Corporation made significant strides in the areas of food security, family assistance, and community revitalization, thanks to the support and hard work of its board, volunteers, donors and staff. With over 700 donors and volunteers, the CCDC continues to grow and gain momentum, with the goal of being in the best possible position to address the needs of residents, business owners and community partners. Formerly known as the Coraopolis Community Development Foundation, the organization is the same one behind efforts such as the Coraopolis Train Station Project, the Coraopolis Food Pantry and others. Besides its recent name change, here are some updates on the organization’s efforts: 10 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 202012 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2020y > Learning Curves Learning Curves Michele P. Conti is an estate planning and elder law attorney. Conti attended Allegheny College in Meadville, Oxford University and Duquesne University School of Law. She received her LL.M. in taxation from Villanova University. She can be reached at (724) 784-0239 or michele@contilawpgh.com. BY MICHELE P. CONTI Planning ahead for a blended family It is likely that you or someone you know is on their second, third, or maybe even fourth marriage. Though they have found happiness more than once in their life, there are many legal complications that exist with a blended family. One such difficulty is determining who receives that person’s assets upon passing. Is it the spouse, the children from a prior relationship, the spouse’s kids or someone else? The idea of “yours, mine and ours” can fracture families. When we work with clients who have a blended family, we stress the fact that deciding who receives their wealth upon their death is essential. The challenge is satisfying everyone involved. If they do not plan correctly and view the whole picture - including retirement accounts and life insurance policies - they may unknowingly disinherit someone, whether they meant to do so or not. All too often, a former spouse also remains as the named beneficiary on an account. Regardless of what a will or trust says, the beneficiary designations trump all others. Therefore, we must be proactive when reviewing a person’s assets or else everyone, except the former spouse, will be unhappy. Another error that sometimes occurs is when a spouse names their current spouse as the primary beneficiary and their children as equal contingent beneficiaries. This is often done so that everyone will receive something. However, in this situation the spouse receives all of the assets and is free to act as they wish. The spouse can spend all of the assets or even change the contingent beneficiaries upon receipt of the money. When a retirement account is involved, the surviving spouse inherits the account of the deceased while the contingent beneficiaries go by the wayside, even upon the surviving spouse’s death. Oftentimes, people also assume that their spouse receives everything upon their death simply because they are married. Others assume that their children receive the bulk of their estate because they are related by blood. Each of these assumptions is wrong. In Pennsylvania, when there is no will or beneficiary designation, the commonwealth provides us with the following chart to determine which beneficiary receives what percent: An easy remedy is to name both the spouse and children as beneficiaries on such an account and dole out percentages rather than an outright distribution to one person. Remarried couples often use a trust as the vehicle to spell out their wishes. If the intention is to provide income for the life of the surviving spouse, we can name the children as beneficiaries. The tricky part is naming a successor trustee. Without proper planning, the plan could fail, which is why oftentimes a corporate fiduciary is involved so that the assets remain consistent and continue to grow. What can you do if you have blended family? We can discuss your particular situation and determine the best option for you and the families involved. This may include a postnuptial agreement, a spendthrift trust or even a bloodline trust, depending on your overall wishes. There is no right answer, but there are a lot of options. We spend so much time and money planning for things like weddings, holidays and vacations, but let’s take some time to also plan for your loved ones’ futures. Doing so will ensure that the family will not be fractured upon your passing. March/April 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 13y > Learning Curves Learning Curves Do you feel like a tin man or woman in need of an oilcan so you can lubricate every joint and jump in the Fountain of Youth? That was me a year ago, before I started micro-circulation therapy. Every day my legs were as tight as tree trunks and I had severe discomfort, including cold hands and feet, along with a bundle of other symptoms. I am always working to improve my health and learning more about health and wellness. I believe it’s a constant journey to find out what works for both me and my clients. In my case, I was getting massages every other week and a regular chiropractic session. I even changed my diet. These all helped with some of the issues I was experiencing but I still felt like something deeper was going on inside my body. “If only I could get a full body scan of some kind,” I thought, and that’s when I remembered a test I had undergone years ago called thermography. Thermography is a physiologic test, which demonstrates thermal patterns in skin temperature. Results may either be normal or indicate disease or another abnormality. Thermography provides you with an image you can see in real time and can indicate areas that are afflicted or have improved. This knowledge enabled me to know what was working for me and to make changes to my personal health goals and treatments. On March 10 of last year, I had a full-body thermography session and learned that I had a peripheral vascular insufficiency - in other words, poor blood flow. A registered nurse encouraged me to learn about microcirculation, a type of therapy that enhances blood flow and encourages the body to heal itself. The sessions are done fully clothed and while lying or sitting on a mat that enhances microcirculation. Movement of blood at the capillary level brings oxygen and nutrients to the cells and tissues. At the same time, toxins and wastes (like carbon dioxide) are removed. I thought, “Why not give it a few months, it sounds like what I need.” On April 20, I started to use the microcirculation device at home before introducing it to my clients. After two months and a lot of research, I felt I had increased energy. The cold feeling in feet and hands seemed to decrease, along with the numbness in my fingers. I no longer felt like a tin woman in need of an oilcan. From July to August, I started to feel phenomenal, with increased endurance, more energy and less discomfort. I began to be more active, too, especially with my family. Now I‘m riding a bike and hiking with them, which I had never done prior. I felt so phenomenal that, on Aug. 22, I had another thermography session on my legs to see if my results would show up visually. They did! Thinking back to the microcirculation training class I attended last year, I wanted to share this story. At that training session, I felt like I was in the movie “Cocoon,” watching older attendees demonstrate how they felt younger as they did squats, jumps and stretches. It made me smile. Now I realize that I feel younger, too. Do your joints need oiled? Do you want to feel like you’ve found the Fountain of Youth? Register to attend one of our upcoming educational meetings and find out if microcirculation is for you! BY RENEE SWASEY, OWNER, ALLEGHENY MUSCLE AND MASSAGE THERAPY Is microcirculation the key to the feeling younger? Renee Swasey owns and operates Allegheny Muscle Therapy and Massage in Imperial. For more on their upcoming events, see below, or visit www.alleghenymuscle.massagetherapy.com. Call them at (724) 695-5300. The above photo shows Renee Swasey’s thermagrophy prior to microcirculation and the below photo shows her results after trying microcirculation for five months. 14 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2020CAround Your Town Around Your Town On a cold winter morning in February, a group of about a half dozen people milled about next to the bus stop outside of IKEA in Robinson Town Centre. After taking the bus there, they now needed to get to work at places like The Mall at Robinson and Comcast’s corporate offices on the other side of The Pointe at North Fayette. Without a vehicle, though, the only way for them to get to those places was to walk upwards of a mile or two along busy roads, many of which do not have sidewalks. Before long, however, a shuttle pulled up alongside them and opened its doors. Each climbed on board and dropped a quarter in a collection box. Soon, they were off and just minutes from being dropped off outside of their workplace. So, what would they do if this service didn’t exist? “Walk, or Uber,” says driver Adrian Washington as he pilots the bus toward The Mall at Robinson. “They were walking along the street.” Washington drives a shuttle for RideACTA, a service operated by the Airport Corridor Transportation Association. The service shuttles people from the bus stop outside of IKEA and another in Carnegie to their workplaces. Previously, Washington drove a school bus. Now, he shuttles upwards of 40 people each day on the final leg of their daily commute to work and back. From the bus stop outside of IKEA, he ferries passengers to stops as far away as the Community College of Allegheny County’s West Hills campus and Alorica on Campbell’s Run Road. Having the service, he estimates, has made a big difference in peoples’ lives. “Like two miles from IKEA, that’s a big situation change,” he says. The Airport Corridor Transportation Association - or ACTA - is nothing new in the area. The organization was started 30 years ago. Ten years ago, it started RideACTA under the federal Job Access/Reverse Commute program. The service is now largely funded by PennDOT. Lynn Manion, ACTA’s director, says that the service started out utilizing a traditional bus that traveled on a fixed route. That didn’t go well. “We got very little ridership,” she says. “So we learned quickly that wasn’t going to work.” RideACTA then switched to using a call-in system with smaller shuttles and the service eventually became a success. About five years ago, ACTA secured the necessary funds from PennDOT to construct the bus stop outside of IKEA on property donated by the furniture company. Gov. Tom Corbett even stopped in for the ribbon cutting. Then a couple of years ago, businesses in the area requested that ACTA establish a second hub in Carnegie, largely to service employees heading to work along Campbell’s Run Road. Between the two hubs, RideACTA now provides about 85,000 rides per year. “Over the past few years, ridership has really grown,” says Manion RideACTA operates from 6 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday, and during certain hours on Saturdays. Rather than call in, many riders now use an app that allows them to request a ride. A RideACTA driver receives the request, along with the rider’s location, on a tablet. Over the past few months, ACTA has also been working with Carnegie Mellon University to analyze its shuttle service’s travel data in an effort to make it as efficient as possible. Later this year, ACTA will be expanding RideACTA with a third hub along University Boulevard in Moon Township. Shuttles will ferry riders from a bus stop to places like Robert Morris University and various hotels and retail centers along the busy artery. Since buses only run during rush hour, Manion says the service will probably start out operating during those hours as well. Still, she’s hoping it will make the same kind of difference for people there that it has in the communities where RideACTA currently operates. For instance, after dropping off one rider, Washington got a message on his tablet just as he was heading back to the bus stop outside of IKEA. After pulling up outside of Walmart, he found his passenger. Looking tired, the woman, who was about retirement age, climbed on the bus and commented how she’d just gotten off her midnight shift at the store. She was now heading back into Pittsburgh to work the concession stand at a college basketball game. For another passenger who gave his name as Bryant, the service isn’t just a convenience - it’s an alternative to driving. Before moving back to Pittsburgh, Bryant lived in Miami Beach and Los Angeles, where he grew accustomed to taking public transportation. Even though he lives nearby and could drive, he prefers to avoid the traffic. That, in turn, helps curtail not only traffic but also air pollution, which is another goal of RideACTA. “It’s a wonderful service,” says Bryant. “This is great for me.” For more on RideACTA, and to download the service’s app, visit actapgh.org. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEY RideACTA to start new service in Moon as ridership grows ABOVE: A RideACTA shuttle leaves from the stop in Robinson Town Centre. BELOW: The service’s drivers now get ride requests on a tablet mounted in their cab. BOTTOM: Driver Adrian Washington used to drive kids to school. Now he provides people with much-needed rides to work. March/April 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 15Your SchoolsYour Schools N The Moon Area High School Drama Club presents: Nominations now open for distinguished alumni award program Nominations are now open for Moon Area High School’s new Distinguished Alumni Award program. The award recognizes graduates who have made significant contributions to society and whose accomplishments, affiliations and careers have honored a legacy of excellence. The inaugural induction will take place in the fall of 2020, with an annual induction to be held each fall during Homecoming Week. The deadline to submit applications is May 1. All applications should be turned in to the Moon Area High School main office and can be downloaded at www.moonarea.net. Nominees will be evaluated based on career achievement or military service distinction; service to society; or service and support to Moon Area School District: Eligible nominees will have been enrolled and graduated from Moon Area High School. Former students may be nominated posthumously. This distinction will be reflective of Moon Area School District’s core values. Criteria can be met by achieving distinction in any of the three areas, as outlined below: • Career Achievement or Military Service Distinction: The recipient attained prominence through his or her efforts in commerce, industry, technology, the professions, agriculture, the arts, education, government, military, or other worthy endeavors that form a record of accomplishment remarkable to the citizens of Moon and Crescent Townships or society at large. • Service to Society: The recipient exhibits integrity and a demonstrated commitment to service through an interest in enhancing the lives of others through volunteer efforts. • Service and Support to Moon Area School District: The recipient’s deeds and actions reflect the importance of his or her educational training, pride in alma mater, and support to Moon Area School District. Moon Area School District Middle school students make 1,000 Valentines for local nursing home The Moon Area Middle School lions team completed a unique service project in February. Fifth-graders made 1,000 Valentine’s Day cards for a local nursing home to celebrate their 1,000th day of school Jan. 31. Not only did they achieve an important milestone, but they also gained the satisfaction of knowing they made the holiday a little brighter for area seniors. Bon Meade hosts mystery staff talent show to reward positive behavior Bon Meade Elementary held a school-wide positive behavior assembly in January that featured disguised teachers participating in a talent show reminiscent of the hit show “The Masked Singer.” Twelve students who had displayed exemplary positive behavior got to decide which teacher performed each talent showcase. Performers included Mrs. Yanosick roller skating; Mrs. Rocca sewing; Mrs. Blawas practicing yoga; Mr. Ford hosting the intermission with the YMCA song; Mr. Hawk practicing gymnastics; Mrs. Dellovade, Mrs. Pindilli, and Mrs. Kohl performing the MASD fight song as Tiger mascots; Mrs. Iannessa on a hoverboard; and Mrs. Bauer playing the flute. Students were very excited to guess who the masked performers were and the panel of students guessed most of the teachers correctly. “It was an amazing assembly that showcased our phenomenal students and staff,” said Bon Meade Elementary principal Mrs. Beeson. “Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) has helped foster a positive school culture and it’s evident on a daily basis that our students, staff, and Bon Meade community have Tiger Pride!” Mrs. Yanosick shows off her roller skating talents during a “Masked Singer” talent show at Bon Meade. Show dates March 19, 20, and 21 at 7 p.m. March 22 at 2 p.m. Purchase tickets at: www.moonarea.net Click on Theater Ticketing Questions: Angelo Tambellini atambellini426@gmail.com Little Shop of Horrors 16 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2020CONTENT SUBMITTED Brooks third-graders research historic figures for President’s Day, Black History Month Brooks Elementary third grade students in Mrs. DeCecco’s social studies class celebrated President’s Day in February with a special class project. Each student was assigned a president or first lady as part of a research project. The classroom was then transformed to represent the White House, where the students revealed their historical characters. Classmates had to figure out which president or first lady the students portrayed. DeCecco’s class also researched famous African Americans for Black History Month. Each morning, two third-graders shared a short biography of an influential African American over the morning announcements so that all of Brooks could learn more about these important historical figures. DeCecco said the students had fun learning and enjoyed the research projects! Brooks students researched U.S. presidents and first ladies and then gave presentations by in part portraying them. March/April 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 17Your SchoolsYour Schools N STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ARCHANGEL GABRIEL CATHOLIC SCHOOL Archangel Gabriel Catholic School 100 days smarter Students in the primary grades dressed as though they were 100 years old to celebrate their 100th day at school this year. Classrooms also did many activities that involved the number 100, including sorting balloons and dividing colors into fractions. As well, they wrote 100 words that begin with certain letters and much more. Career Day Children in grades K-8 had a blast dressing up as their future self for career day. Classrooms were filled with scientists, doctors, teachers, athletes, broadcasters and more as special guests inspired students to pursue various fields. Parents, special guests from Merakey and Covestro, and others did a fantastic job engaging students and helping to show them what it takes to succeed. The school is extremely proud to be able to watch students’ young minds learn and grow during special days like this. Special delivery Sixth grade students were tasked with an “out of the box” assignment when they were asked to create a pizza-in-a- box book report. After reading a biography of their choosing, Mrs. Mattarochia creatively asked students questions coordinating with parts of the box and each slice. Students were asked what they learned, what they knew before reading the book, what their subjects’ major accomplishments were and the purpose of the book. They loved seeing these books come to life in such a fun and memorable way. Catholic Schools Week “We are all God’s children” was a key message that Rev. Sam Esposito brought to Archangel Gabriel School as it celebrated the opening of Catholic Schools Week in February. During a morning mass, students participated as lectors, servers, speakers and bringing up the gifts. Phenomenal testimonials were also delivered by eighth-graders Grace Murray and Elena Polar. Each expressed that they were extremely grateful for the opportunities given to them through their Catholic education. As lectors, student council members, participants in many extra-curricular activities, and excellent students, they have taken advantage of all that the school has to offer. Students dressed as though they were 100 years old for their 100th day of school. Students celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Rev. Sam Esposito. Students reported on biographies they read by creating these works of “pizza art.” Career Day Children in grades K-8 had a blast dressing up as their future self for career day. Classrooms were filled with scientists, doctors, teachers, athletes, broadcasters and more as special guests inspired students to pursue various fields. Parents, special guests from Merakey and Covestro, and others did a fantastic job engaging students and helping to show them what it takes to succeed. The school is extremely proud to be able to watch students’ young minds learn and grow during special days like this. 18 • Allegheny West Magazine • March/April 2020N Your Schools Your Schools Robinson Township Christian School STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ROBINSON TOWNSHIP CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Robinson Township Christian School is singing the praises of senior Tess Meyers after she kicked off 2020 by representing the school at the PMEA District 1 Choral Festival. This was her second consecutive year at the festival. PMEA, short for Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, is a statewide organization dedicated to promoting the musical development of all Pennsylvanians. Students are required to audition for the festival. This year, the festival was held at South Fayette High School. Meyers felt well prepared going into the event. She credits her music teacher and choir director, Abbey Frick, for going above and beyond to ensure that she was successful. She’s also performed many roles in various RTCS productions over the years. Those include roles in “Charlotte’s Web,” “Anne of Green Gables,” “Narnia,” “Seussical” and two original RTCS musicals. Music has also played a starring role in Meyers‘ personal life. “Music is a great way to express emotion when you don’t have the words,” she says. Meyers hopes to attend Carnegie Mellon University, where she plans to study chemistry or French and Francophone studies. She will always be grateful for her experiences at PMEA, which she calls, “once in a lifetime.” Since Family Fun Night’s inception two years ago, the evening’s themes have included “Snowball Bingo,” “Christmas ornament making” and a “Clay Café.” For Family Fun Night, RTCS students of all ages - along with parents and teachers - informally gather on a Friday evening at the school once every other month for an evening of games and snacks. One of the things that people love most about RTCS is the strong emphasis on the value of family and community. The addition of regular Family Fun Nights has been a great way to highlight this. Melissa Impavido, whose daughter Victoria is in kindergarten this year, looks forward to attending Family Fun Nights with her family. “I definitely feel that Fun Nights are an awesome way for us to connect with other RTCS families and even the teachers,” she says. “Victoria loves getting to hang with her classmates in a more unstructured, playful environment. She also gets to meet many other kids from other classes that she doesn’t see much of during the school day.” The main purpose of Family Fun Night is to slow down and make time for what’s important. Often, with the hustle and bustle of work and school during the week, it doesn’t leave much room for downtime and conversation. These evenings help bring people together to make new memories and friends at school. It’s also a great way to include working parents who might not have the flexibility to attend events during the school day. Tess Meyers represents RTCS at PMEA Family Fun Nights at RTCS Tess Meyers Students and parents get to enjoy activities at RTCS during Family Fun Nights. March/April 2020 • www.awmagazine.com • 19Next >