< Previous40 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2021 40 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2021 The holiday season is an especially joyful time in Steubenville, Ohio, where nutcrackers, model trains, StoryWalks, and glorious lights have made visiting the city a holiday tradition for many families. Beginning Nov. 26 and extending through the beginning of the new year, the historic downtown is transformed into the Steubenville Nutcracker Village, with over 180 life-sized Nutcrackers that inhabit the sidewalks, parks and storefronts, 24/7. Each unique nutcracker, designed and produced by local artisans at Nelson’s of Steubenville, depicts a character from history, literature, music, popular culture or profession. Meet Rosie the Riveter, Jack Frost and all the Rat Pack personalities while taking memorable selfies to send home. Chief designer Therese Fedoryka says she is enthusiastic for this seventh year of the event. “Our latest addition to the collection, a dazzling Peacock Nutcracker, was designed by Sonya Godfrey for our first nutcracker competition and will be revealed at the start of the season! We’re looking forward to the continuation of many holiday traditions here, such as hayrides, the Children’s Corner and a Nutcracker StoryWalk organized by the Jefferson County Public Library, as well as some new additions to the festival that will be announced soon!” To add to the celebration, on four weekend evenings there will be a light and music show at the Jefferson County Courthouse on Market Street. Historic churches and buildings in town will light up for the season and offer special tours and concerts. Historic Fort Steuben - at 120 S. 3rd Street - also hosts Christmas at the Fort, with colorful walkways of light, music, nutcrackers and fairy tale figures surrounding a spectacular 32-foot Christmas tree in Fort Steuben Park. The Advent Market, open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 26 to Dec. 19, features decorated booths with vendors selling crafts, food and souvenirs with choral groups filling the air with song. The Holly Trolley carries passengers around the town to see the splendid churches and some of the 25 murals for which the city is famous. The reconstructed Fort Steuben is open for tours and the Christmas Shop in the Fort Steuben Visitor Center carries a variety of gifts, books and mementos. The Model Railroad Display, located just a few blocks from the center of town at 248 N. 4th Street, will be open on weekends presenting a massive, detailed exhibit of an industrial Ohio Valley landscape with detailed bridges, factories, creeks, buildings and mountains. O-gauge model trains go “clickety-clacking” through it all. For those who enjoy winter hikes, Beatty Park on Lincoln Avenue has trails through this historic nature preserve. A Christmas at the Park event on Dec. 4 will include a Nativity, community choir, holiday hikes/rides to the old holiday- decorated stone lodge, campfires, and a blacksmith who will be sharing pioneer and historical stories. Earlier that day, the annual Eastern Gateway Community College Sights and Sounds of Christmas Parade will bring floats, marching bands, classic cars and dance troupes down Fourth Street. For more information on the Nutcracker Village, go to www.SteubenvilleNutcrackerVillage.com. For Christmas in Steubenville, visit www.VisitSteubenville.com or call (740) 283.4935. Steubenville Nutcracker Village Downtown Steubenville|Nov. 26-Jan. 8 Oglebay Festival of Lights Oglebay Park|Through Jan. 9, nightly at dusk It would be hard to put together a list of light-ups without mentioning the Oglebay Winter Festival of Lights. This annual holiday tradition started in 1985 and is now known as one of the nation’s largest holiday light shows, attracting more than one million visitors each year. The display covers 300 acres over a six- mile drive and includes 90 lighted attractions. Admission is free, though a donation of $25 per vehicle is suggested. That also gets you a “pass” for the rest of the season. Oglebay offers a variety of overnight holiday packages to those who wish to make a full weekend of the Christmas activities. The display is located at Oglebay Park at 465 Lodge Drive in Wheeling, West Virginia. For more information, call (877) 436- 1797 or visit oglebay.com/lights. Day Trip Light-Ups Hop in the car and make a day of checking out these light-ups. Life-sized nutcrackers stand at attention throughout downtown Steubenville, Ohio during the holidays, starting Nov. 26. November/December 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 41 November/December 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 4142 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2021 Visits with Santa, cookie walks, concerts and more St. Matrona Ladies’ Society Virtual Cookie Walk Order by Nov. 21 | Pickup Dec. 11 The St. Matrona Ladies’ Society is going virtual with its annual cookie walk this year. Order your delicious confectioneries online at www.stmatronacookiewalk.com and then pick up Dec. 11 between 9 a.m. at 12 p.m. at the St. Peter and St. Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Carnegie at 220 Mansfield Boulevard. Echo Valley Bluegrass Concert 119 Station St., McDonald Nov. 20 | 7 p.m. Head to the McDonald Presbyterian Church’s Trinity Center Sanctuary for this lively, animated performance from five sisters and a brother who will impress with their tight harmonies and multi-instrument talents. Entry fee is $8 for adults. Ages 18 and under are free. Visit www.mcdonaldpres.org for more. Imperial VFD Holiday Shopping Extravaganza Imperial VFD, 111 Pine Street, Imperial Nov. 27 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Take a break from the shopping centers on Black Friday weekend and drive over to Imperial, where the Imperial VFD will be hosting an array of vendors and crafters in its massive fire hall. Visit www.imperialvfd.org for more. Interested in being a vendor? Email imperialvfdcraftshow@gmail.com. Moonlight and Cocoa Pittsburgh Botanic Garden Dec. 2, 3, 4 | 5:30-9 p.m. Stroll the gardens and woodlands of Pittsburgh Botanic Garden for a magical winter night. See the lights and colorful displays in the Garden of the Five Senses as you make your way to the Lotus Pond surrounded by 1,000 luminarias. Visit PittsburghBotanicGarden.org or call (412) 444-4464 to pre-purchase your timed tickets for this event. Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Children ages 13 and under are $5. Coraopolis Presbyterian Church Living Nativity 1201 Fifth Ave., Coraopolis Dec. 3 | 7-9 p.m. This year will mark the 51st for the Coraopolis Presbyterian Church’s Living Nativity, which will once again take place on the church’s front lawn along 5th Avenue in downtown Coraopolis. This particular Nativity even features live animals. Visit coraopolispresbyterian.com for more. Christmas in Coraopolis VFW Post 402 Dec. 4 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Head to Keith-Holmes VFW Post 402 in downtown Coraopolis for the Coraopolis United Methodist Church 9th Annual Cookie Sale on Dec. 4. Fill a to-go with 12 cookies for $10 or 60 cookies for $40 - payable with cash or check. Also be sure to take away a kid’s activity bag. Then head outside to check out the festively decorated shop windows and more fun on Mulberry Street, including caroling, visits with Santa and more. Kennedy VFD Pancake Breakfast Kennedy VFD Dec. 12 | TBA More details will be forthcoming about the Kennedy VFD’s annual holiday pancake breakfast. Check kennedyvfd.us for the latest. The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden lights up at night for Moonlight and Cocoa. November/December 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 43 Andrew Carnegie Performing Arts Production of “The Nutcracker” Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall Dec. 11, 18 | 8 p.m. Dec. 12, 19 | 2 p.m. The Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall’s presentation of “The Nutcracker” is a holiday tradition that started 46 years ago. The production features dancers from many community dance schools. Performers from age 5 to adult round out the cast of swirling snowflakes and candy flowers. Last year, the performance went virtual but this year audiences are being welcomed back to view the performance. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Prices are $20 for adults and $18 for seniors and children. There will also be an option to view the performance afterwards via Vimeo for $30. Visit www. carnegieperformingartscenter.com for more. The West Hills Symphonic Band will perform Dec. 5 at Montour High School. PHOTO BY MICHAEL HOLL PHOTOGRAPHY Andrew Carnegie Performing Arts welcomes back audiences this year for its production of “The Nutcracker.” West Hills Symphonic Band Concert Montour High School Dec. 5 | 3 p.m. The West Hills Symphonic Band is comprised of community members, including a number of professional musicians, who perform because they love to play. The band returns to Montour this year for its holiday concert, which is titled “HOPE for the Holidays.” Enjoy some joyous sounds of the season at this holiday show, including beloved carols, holiday classics and secular favorites. It’ll help you rediscover your Christmas spirit. Attendees must wear masks. The concert is free with donations graciously accepted. Visit www.whsb.org for more. Christmas in Crescent 1370 Riverview Rd., Crescent Dec. 11 | 5 p.m. Crescent Township is kicking off a new tradition this year. On Dec. 11, the Crescent Township Parks and Recreation Board and the Crescent VFD will host its First Annual Christmas Night with Santa at the end of Riverview Road, not far from Shouse Park. Festivities start up at 5 p.m. in the township’s brand new gazebo, where jolly old St. Nick will arrive at 6:45 p.m. to greet children and help ring in the holiday season. The Moon Area High School Band will also be on hand to play some holiday favorites. Food and refreshments will be sold until 9 p.m. Luminary kits to be lit on Christmas Eve will be on sale as well (cash only). Have a question? Email: parksandrec@crescenttownship.org44 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2021 44 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2021 Bedner’s Farm and Greenhouse 315 Coleman Road, McDonald Christmas Open House - Nov. 20 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Located just outside of McDonald, Bedner’s is a go-to for many locals’ landscaping, plant and gardening needs. Last year, the garden center stayed open for the first time through the holiday season. This year, Bedner’s is doing the same and kicking the season off with a special Christmas Open House event with door prizes, food trucks, yard games, live music, cocoa, cookies and more. The rest of the holiday season they’ll be offering a variety of crafting workshops on wreath making, centerpiece design, swag crafting and more. For additional information, including regular business hours, classes and events, visit shopbedners.com or call (724) 926-2541. Inches Nursery 1005 Stoops Ferry Road, Moon Township Holiday Parties - Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Located at the corner of Flaugherty Run Road and Stoops Ferry Road in Moon Township, Inches Nursery is a longtime area staple. The business got its start in 1964 selling flowers and has grown over time into a full-service nursery and garden center. It’s still a close-knit, family-owned business, however, and one of its annual traditions is its holiday parties. Each year, the nursery welcomes in community members for festive activities, including refreshments and a visit with Santa. It’s a highlight of the year for the Inches family and garden center manager Sharon Pegher. While you’re there, check out their assortment of fresh-cut Christmas trees, handmade wreaths and bows, grave blankets, holiday decor, Poinsettias and more. The parties are free, but please consider donating an unopened child’s gift, as Inches will be holding a collection for the Crescent Township Police Department’s Santa Cop program to benefit local children in need. Visit www.inchesnursery.com or call (724) 457-7236 for more information and regular business hours. Moon Township Garden Club’s Greens and Things Sale Robin Hill Center - 949 Thorn Run Road, Moon Township Dec. 4 | 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Drop by the Robin Hill Center at Robin Hill Park before the Moon Lights Holiday Festival (see page 38) and check out the Moon Township Garden Club’s Greens and Things Sale. This annual one-day sale features unique, handcrafted holiday decorations, including wreaths, garlands, centerpieces and other items crafted from artificial and fresh greenery. Items sold at the sale are created by garden club members and all of the holiday decorations are one- of-a-kind creations. A gift boutique sale also includes homemade cookies and other unique gifts. Proceeds benefit the club’s various philanthropic efforts. The club will be following COVID-19 guidelines from the CDC and the Allegheny County Health Department. Visit the club’s Facebook page and website, moontownshipgardenclub.com, for more. This is a one-day event. Christmas trees, holiday greens, crafts and gifts Need a special gift for a loved one or some seasonal decorations to spruce up the home? How about a tree that you can cut yourself? Then check out these venues and special holiday events. Please visit the websites of the businesses listed for their regular hours outside of the events mentioned. Cut-your-own Christmas trees Prefer to cut down your own tree? Then check out these venues, where you can fell a fir yourself starting Nov. 26, the day after Thanksgiving. Hozak Farms 488 Anderson Hozak Road, Clinton Saws are provided to visitors who can either take a hayride or walk with a tree cart any time between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. to fell the fir of their choosing. Hozak’s also offers pre-cut trees, fresh wreaths, white pine roping, and bundles of fresh boughs. While you’re there, check out the giant Christmas Barn, with its dozens of decorated trees, craft and gift items, candles, Santas, Steeler decorations, wine accessories and more. Visitors chilled from a trek to the tree field can warm up with hot cocoa and spiced cider. On weekends, guests can enjoy Hozak’s famous hot dogs and kielbasa. Hozak’s is open most days. Visit www.hozakfarms.com or call (724) 899-2400 for hours and more. Allison’s Christmas Trees 121 Allison Lane, Aliquippa Located in Raccoon Township, Beaver County, Allison’s Christmas Trees will be welcoming visitors out to select and cut the tree of their choice. There will also be hayrides while a cozy Christmas barn on the property offers live wreaths and other holiday decor, as well as fudge, hot beverages and many other gift items. Call (724) 495-2680 for more information. Janoski’s Farm 1714 Route 30 in Clinton Christmas Open House - Dec. 4-5 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit Janoski’s Farm in Clinton and peruse a large selection of holiday decor, gifts and activities. While you’re there, be sure to pick up a poinsettia and warm up at the hot chocolate bar in the garden center. Then head upstairs to check out their country gift shop, where everything is 10% off and they offer free gift wrapping. There will also be visits with Santa, kids’ crafts, craft vendors and more. Check out some specials in the farm market while you’re there. If you want to make a toy donation, the farm is accepting new children’s toys up through Nov. 30. For more, including regular business hours, visit janoskis.com/upcoming or call (724) 899- 3438. Swing by Inches’ Nursery for a visit with Santa during their holiday parties. lLegislative Update Legislative Update November/December 2021 • www.awmagazine.com • 45 State Rep. Anita Kulik State Rep. Anita Kulik represents Pennsylvania’s 45th District. Her office is located at 1350 Fifth Avenue in Coraopolis. She can be reached at (412) 264-4260. Visit her online at www.pahouse.com/Kulik. It’s hard to believe that we are coming to the end of another year, but here we are. As this year progressed, things got better and brighter. Now, we are all looking forward to having a wonderful holiday season. I hope you will not mind if I do not use this article to review the past year. I believe that we all know what has gone on, and we all have done our best to get through it. Rather, I believe that it is time to move on to other conversations, to talk about the good things at this most wonderful time of the year, and to be thankful for all the good people in our lives. The time I spend in the 45th Legislative District is time filled with encouragement. Too often when I am in Harrisburg, I am left to deal with tension and dissension. In my travels through our district, however, I often get to see all that is good about our region. It is true that the news we watch seldom has stories about good happenings, and normally what we hear coming out of government is not “happy” news. Even through the past year and a half, there has been plenty of goodwill in our district. I have spent almost every day of the past several months attending events that are positive and that often featured good things in our communities. The events I attended were held with good intentions to help our children, our communities and those in need. Most significantly, these events were run by good-hearted people with no agendas except to serve others. Since the summer months, I’ve also had the opportunity to meet people with so many different interests and talents. I am inspired by the HAM radio operators, the beekeepers, the garden club ladies, the artists, and all those who do good for our region. We can see the contributions from the bakers; the singers and dancers from groups like Stage 62; our volunteer firefighters; and our Veterans and VFW and American Legion members. There are those who found ways to keep us entertained outdoors and continued serving others. Librarians kept programs running while others made sure we had outdoor concerts in the parks at Avonworth Community Park and Burkett Park, along with events like community days celebrations. Local business people helped stage the Carnegie Crawl, Second Saturdays in Coraopolis, and the Color Festival at the Indian Community Center. There are also the churches that not only held festivals but also worked to keep our seniors and children fed, like St. John’s Lutheran in Carnegie and Coraopolis United Methodist Church. We cannot forget all the Rotarians, Lions Club members, Shriners and other organizations that have kept up their charitable endeavors. Our citizens were able to enjoy programs at senior centers and the Boys and Girls Clubs, along with youth sports programs. Donors and volunteers - including groups like Coraopolis Youth Creations and the Stowe and Carnegie Family Centers - provided school supplies to hundreds of area children. There were also the efforts of the Montour Trail Council, our community development corporations, the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, the Coraopolis Sportsmens Club, our conservancies, historical societies and local governments. We cannot forget our schoolteachers, administrators, volunteers, coaches and support staff who kept our schools running. Nor can we forget our spiritual leaders and all those who volunteer at our churches to keep our spiritual lives healthy. There were also remarkable efforts from our business owners who, while struggling to survive, gave all they could to help those in need in their communities. We must also remember our valiant health care workers, police, and first responders who, day after long day, did their jobs in the toughest of situations. Whether you reside in Scott or Emsworth, Pennsbury or Stowe, there were so many good things that occurred this year, thanks to the efforts of dedicated people who wanted to make their communities the best that they can be. I took part in roadside clean-up efforts, food drives, and so many other efforts that were overshadowed by negative news. These named groups are but a small example of the efforts made by people who live and work in the 13 municipalities that make up the 45th Legislative District. I continue to attend events and witness all the good our local groups and neighbors do. I am proud and humbled to live among you in our communities of Scott, Carnegie, Rosslyn Farms, Pennsbury, Robinson, Kennedy, Stowe, Coraopolis, Neville, Ben Avon, Emsworth, Kilbuck and Ben Avon Heights. I am most especially humbled for the privilege of representing and serving you as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. To everyone, I wish peace, joy and love this holiday season. However you celebrate, may you find the happiness, warmth and laughter that we sometimes miss. I look forward to bringing you news from Harrisburg in the new year. In the meantime, I’ll end with the words of Dr. Seuss: “Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand.”1XFirebeatFirebeat 46 • Allegheny West Magazine • November/December 2021 BY JOE KULIK The most wonderful, and dangerous, time of the year Between Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and the holidays, we know that this is the most wonderful time of the year. However, it is also the most dangerous time of the year, particularly with regard to residential fires. We want to have our homes “dressed up” for the holidays, especially if we are welcoming family and friends. We all want to have beautiful lights - and lots of them! We want to see glittering decorations of all kinds and enjoy the warmth of home on a cold and crisp autumn or winter day. Most definitely, these are all part of the holiday season. However, as you hopefully realize, these traditions and festivities present an increased risk of fire. Statistics show that December is a leading month for home fires in the U.S. According to the National Fire Protection Association, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve are two of the top three days for home cooking fires. In addition, they are the TOP TWO days for home candle fires! Why do more fires occur during the fall and winter months than any other time of year? Look around your house. Do you have a candle burning because you enjoy the smell of pumpkin spice or apple? Do you find you are baking more and maybe leaving the stove on longer than you intended? Are you placing many decorations around the house and using long extension cords to do that? All of these are potential fire hazards. Candles used to be a necessity, providing lighting for our great, great grandparents. Now, they generally are a nice decoration, something we may have simply for the wonderful smells they provide. Too often, though, we forget they are in fact small fires! Too often, people forget they have a candle burning when they leave the house. Also too often, the candles are placed directly on a wooden surface or too closely to decorations, curtains and drapes. A study by the National Fire Protection Association showed that, in 44% of residential fires during the holiday season, fires could be directly attributed to some form of decoration being too close to a heat source. Please make sure that decorations are kept at least three feet away from heat sources, especially candles. The National Fire Protection Association study, conducted over a period of five years, shows that 57% of December home decoration fires were started by candles. December is, by far, the peak month for candle fires. Of the fires determined to be caused by candles, 60% of home candle fires started because a flammable item was too close to the candle. In 13% of fires, the candle was left unattended or abandoned. Many times, we respond to fire calls that are a direct result of someone using the smoke detector as a cooking timer, or someone who forgot they had left food in the oven or on the top burner. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires. The specific circumstance of forgetting about cooking food - what we might call unattended cooking - is the most common type of these fires, and responsible for one-third of home cooking fires. Christmas Day is the second-leading day for home cooking fires, with roughly 70% more fires than the average daily number. Christmas Eve is also a leading day for home cooking fires, with almost 60% more fires than the daily average. It is too easy to start watching a holiday movie and forget that there is a pot on the stove or some food in the oven. I also remind you to be careful with all of your Christmas lights, especially those on your trees. When you are not home, turn the lights off. Make sure to check that they are not too hot. Ensure your live tree is properly watered, because lights do generate heat, and a dry tree can easily catch fire. I have seen friends and family using “outdoor” lights on an indoor tree. This is most definitely a fire hazard! As well, we must be careful when overloading our extension cords. Electricity passing through extension cords causes heat. If you can feel the warmth when you hold the extension cord, something is wrong. Often, this is due to overloading the cord with more items than it can handle, such as strings of lights, decorations and perhaps a space heater. While a minor amount of warmth may not be a problem, a “hot” extension cord is a definite sign of a problem, and is a danger. The problem may be too many items, but also most likely is caused by inadequate or worn-out insulation. You should immediately unplug the cord and discard it. Enjoy the holidays and do so by being safe. You do not want a truckload of firefighters in our gear and carrying hoses as your houseguests! Stay safe and stay well! NOW HIRING! O ces located in Robinson Twp. & Monaca 412.494.2000 ExpressPros.com Full-time and part-time job opportunities in a variety of positions: Administrative, Professional, Industrial, Skilled Labor, Skilled Trades, and Skilled Professional. Call to schedule your interview! No Fees!PITTSBURGH PA PERMIT NO. 5605 Hughey Publications, LLC P.O. Box 220 McDonald, PA 15057 Allegheny West MagazineNext >