Women accused in pair of thefts
CRANBERRY TWP — A pair of Allegheny County women are accused of stealing a purse and wallet from two township businesses and racking up more than $4,000 in fraudulent credit card purchases.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
Every week, The Cranberry Eagle will spotlight a local educator, providing a glimpse into what makes them tick.

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
Two students at Haine Elementary School in Cranberry Township were honored as students of the month for February. The award is presented each month by the Rotary Club. Shown, from left, are Michael Pueler of the Cranberry Sunrise Rotary Club, fifth grader Emily Winterhalter, sixth grader Shannon McCabe and school guidance counselor Stacy Latta.

Hope church members help quake victims
CRANBERRY TWP — Members of Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church recently sent 132 hygiene kits in 27 buckets to help victims of the Haiti earthquake. The donation made its way to residents in need via the Pittsburgh organization Brother's Brother Foundation.

Couple helps others with ill children
ADAMS TWP — Often the death of a child is so tragic that it can destroy a family. One family has turned its tragedy into a mission to help others.

Retirement panel aims to protect fund
Butler County's pension fund rose to more than $104 million at the end of 2009.

A LOOK BACK
Every Wednesday, The Cranberry Eagle takes a look back at the top stories from a year ago.

MAYORIAL PROFILE
New Valencia mayor looks forward to helping town
This is the latest in a series of profiles of mayors who answered an Eagle questionnaire.

HEART TO HEART
Cranberry teen will share her transplant story
WARRENDALE — Samantha Scholl looks like the typical teenage high school student.

TRAFFIC WORRIES
Municipalities outline school plan concerns
CRANBERRY TWP — An engineering firm representing Cranberry Township and Seven Fields recently sent a letter to the engineering firm representing the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh that outlines concerns about a recent traffic study commissioned by the diocese.

SNOW RECORD
Plow drivers weary of winter storms
Yet another snow storm hit weather-weary Butler County Thursday night, Friday and Saturday, which meant the deployment of municipal plow trucks from Middlesex to Marion townships.

TAX TIME
SV won't waive penalties
JACKSON TWP — Two unnamed businesses in the Seneca Valley School District will have to pay the penalty on their taxes.

Cranberry has $5 million in sewer work planned
CRANBERRY TWP — Improvements totaling more than $5 million are planned this year to the township sewage system.

County OKs domestic violence grant application
After losing the renewal of one grant relating to domestic violence, Butler County hopes to keep another grant.

3 hurt in 13-vehicle pileup
NORTH SEWICKLEY TWP, Beaver County — Icy road conditions late Feb. 17 could be to blame for a 13-vehicle pileup that closed for seven hours a portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike between the New Castle and Cranberry exits.

SV students stage 'Oklahoma'
Seneca Valley High School will present the Rogers and Hammerstein musical "Oklahoma" at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and March 5 and 6 and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the high school auditorium, 124 Seneca School Road, Jackson Township.

Jackson supervisors to consider zone change
JACKSON TWP — The township supervisors will consider whether flex space/warehouse developments can be built in its mixed commercial office zoning district. The zoning change would pave the way for a warehouse on Route 19.

Middlesex fire probed
State police cannot determine a single cause of a fire that destroyed a home in Middlesex Township on Feb. 9.

Teacher spotlight
Every week, The Cranberry Eagle will spotlight a local educator, providing a glimpse into what makes them tick.

OLYMPIC EFFORT
Orthopedic surgeon treats U.S. Ski Team
ADAMS TWP — As a young skier, Josh Szabo had his eyes on the Olympics.

CEMETERY THEFTS
Cranberry man charged with taking grave vases
CRANBERRY TWP — Police Monday arrested a suspected thief wanted for the theft of dozens of bronze vases from grave sites at a township cemetery.

BACK TO WORK
Students regain focus after snow days
Like everyone else, school officials have battled the snow for the past month.

EXPLORING OPTIONS
Middlesex will gauge gas interest
MIDDLESEX TWP — Board of supervisors Chairman Mark Vincent last week asked township manager Scot Fodi to see how much interest natural gas drilling companies might have in certain township property.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
Every week, The Cranberry Eagle will spotlight a local educator, providing a glimpse into what makes them tick.

EC park group looks for grant
EVANS CITY — The borough's park authority might pursue several projects this year if it gets a grant from Butler County.

GREENHOUSE COLLAPSES
Worker clearing snow pinned
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — A farmworker was injured Thursday afternoon when a greenhouse collapsed and trapped him.

Merchant Marines reach fundraising goal
A group of Merchant Marines from Butler and Lawrence counties have reached their fundraising goal to pay for a monument recognizing their efforts during World War II.

County decides not to sell Sunnyview
BUTLER TWP — Butler County will not sell the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

CVCC SHOWS GRATITUDE
George Villegas, a member of the board of directors for the Connoquenessing Valley Community Chest, presents Doug Allen from the Log Cabin Inn with a plaque for the restaurant's help in raising money for the community organization. The Log Cabin Inn gave out a free dinner for two to anyone who donated $250 or more and is giving free appetizers or a dessert for smaller donations.

RISING CROSS
Project dedicated in member's memory
ADAMS TWP — A rooftop cross, donated in loving memory of a faithful and industrious church member, was officially dedicated at all three worship services Sunday at Mars Alliance Church.

County tourism bureau can keep state funds
ZELIENOPLE — The Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau thought it was going to have to give back money to the state, but now it won't have to.

Man faces trial in case of road rage
BUTLER TWP — It began with a near collision between a pickup and sport utility vehicle near a shopping plaza.

Contractor pleads guilty in fatal fall
VALENCIA — The owner of C.A. Franc Construction pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to violating safety rules on a job site where one of his employees died in a fall from a roof, according to the U.S. Attorney's office in Pittsburgh.

Recreation study committee to meet
MARS — Mars Community Council’s Parks and Recreation Study Committee will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Mars School District administration office, 545 Route 228.


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Snow creations competition slated
MARSHALL TWP — Residents of Marshall Township are invited to design snow sculptures or creations of any type through Feb. 26.


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Jackson supervisors plan to make road priority list
JACKSON TWP — The supervisors plan to do an overall assessment of township roads that they hope will result in priority maintenance list.

Budget proposal criticized
HARRISBURG — Legislators representing Butler County don't support Gov. Ed Rendell's proposed $29 billion state budget for 2010-11, which is 4 percent — $1.2 billion — higher than the current budget year.

HELPING HAITI
Cranberry flight nurse volunteers
While she learned about the spirit of the Haitian people, a Cranberry Township flight nurse said she also learned about herself during a two-week stay in the earthquake devastated country.

GOLDEN TICKET
Lottery stub worth $1M sold at Giant Eagle
CRANBERRY TWP — A lottery ticket worth $1 million for last Tuesday's Mega Millions was sold at the Giant Eagle on Route 19.

CELEBRITY TWEETS
Pledges help cancer fight
A 2007 Seneca Valley graduate who buses tables on the side never thought his quest to raise money for pediatric cancer patients and their families would get the support of a reality show celebutante.

LAWSUIT FILED
Boy was trapped in Middlesex culvert
MIDDLESEX TWP — The township and the Saxonburg Area Authority are being sued for negligence by the parents of a teenager who was trapped in a culvert three years ago.

A LOOK BACK
Every Wednesday, The Cranberry Eagle takes a look back at the top stories from a year ago.

Super Suppers
This year, the oldest of the Baby Boomers turn 64, but they're still instigating change.

Cranberry Lions Club honors SV students
CRANBERRY TWP — The Cranberry Township Lions Club had its first of two SEI nights during its bi-monthly club meeting on Jan. 26.

Butler places 1st, Seneca 2nd in mock trial event
Butler High School took first place in this year's Pennsylvania Bar Association's Statewide Mock Trial Competition at the Butler County Courthouse.

Cranberry municipal offices will get face-lift
CRANBERRY TWP — The township's offices will get a face-lift with a number of aesthetic and functional improvements including a newly designed town square area.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
Every week, The Cranberry Eagle will spotlight a local educator, providing a glimpse into what makes them tick.

Teachers, 8th graders square off in quiz at Holy Sepulchar
MIDDLESEX TWP — Their pride was on the line with the final question.

Woman sentenced for heroin, retail theft
A woman whose large stash of drugs and cash was discovered when she tried to shoplift $71 worth of items from Wal-Mart in Cranberry Township will spend up to four years in state prison.

Lawsuit against police dismissed
CRANBERRY TWP — A civil suit that alleged township police lied under oath and falsified documents was dismissed Thursday because the statute of limitations expired.

Robber faces 5 to 24 years
A string of seven drugstore stickups could net a Lyndora man up to 24 years in state prison.

Mars man gets 11 years in jail for fraud schemes
PITTSBURGH — A Mars resident was sentenced Friday to 11 years in federal prison for his part in a Ponzi loan scheme and a set of identity theft loan frauds.

Auxiliary installs officers, lauds volunteers
RICHLAND TWP — The 2010 officers for the St. Barnabas Charities Auxiliary were installed and volunteers were recognized during the organization's annual meeting recently at The Village at St. Barnabas, 5850 Meridian Road.

Marcellus shale will be topic of session
Penn State Cooperative Extension, in cooperation with Butler County Community College, will hold a program, "Marcellus Shale — Natural Gas Exploration and Considerations" Feb. 22 at BC3's Succop Theater.

GOWNS GALORE
Cranberry church offers dresses at discount
CRANBERRY TWP — Gowns, gowns everywhere.

Help with tax returns is free
With her tax forms, receipts and Social Security card filed neatly in a folder, Jennifer Grabowski waited last week to meet with a tax preparer.

SNOW DAZE
Residents still recovering from weekend storm
Residents who still might be sore from digging out their cars, driveways and sidewalks from last weekend's mammoth snowstorm are expected to be back at it as upwards of a foot of snow could fall by this evening.

Officials talk about school's traffic study
SEVEN FIELDS — Borough manager Tom Smith said he recently met with Cranberry Township officials and representatives from an engineering firm to talk about a traffic study done by the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Altmire: Health care bill can't be revived
CRANBERRY TWP — U.S. Rep Jason Altmire, D-4th, said Monday the health care bill is dead and there's no way to rejuvenate efforts to reform the country's health care system.

Diocese says price fair on 71 acres
CRANBERRY TWP — The man who sold 71 acres to the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh for a new high school said he didn't make a large profit from the deal, and he said money was never the motive in the deal.

Man marks 30 years at St. Barnabas
RICHLAND TWP — While Donnie Hersh was thrilled to celebrate 30 years as a St. Barnabas resident, those in attendance Friday were eager to celebrate him.

WPIAL SWIMMING QUALIFIERS
Following are the Class AA (Mars) and AAA (Seneca Valley) swimmers who will be competing at the WPIAL Championships Thursday and Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool.

SIDE LINES
Seneca Valley's Nate Cully was runner-up at 145 pounds in the Section 3-AAA wrestling tournament Saturday night at Fox Chapel High School.

Eyes on a bigger prize
The Mars girls swimming team will take another crack at a Section 3-AA title next year.

Mars resident leads SRU women to hockey title
ADAMS TWP — Hard work paid off for Mars resident Mike Harshman and his Slippery Rock University women's hockey team over the weekend of Feb. 20.

SIDE LINES
CRANBERRY TWP — Registration for the 2010 Miracle League of Western Pennsylvania is under way at www.mlswpa.org.

Mars hockey heads outdoors for good cause
PINE TWP — The Mars hockey team played center stage last month — but they were downplaying their roles for the greater cause.

Going their separate ways
DORMONT — Ashley Lynch wore her battle scars — and smile — proudly.

SIDE LINES
ADAMS TWP — Seth Franco, a former member of the Court Jesters, Harlem Wizards and Harlem Globetrotters, will perform at 7 p.m. March 2 at Mars Middle School.

Seneca's Cerminara headed to The Rock to play soccer
SLIPPERY ROCK — Seneca Valley senior Mandy Cerminara is one of five players Slippery Rock University women's soccer coach Noreen Herlihy recruited for next season.

Hard work gets noticed
ADAMS TWP — It might be the offseason, but the honors keep rolling in for the Mars High boys soccer team.

CHANGE OF COLLEGE PLANS
Raiders' Kelly passes on Pitt to play at ODU
CRANBERRY TWP — Kate Kelly had expected to keep her verbal commitment to the University of Pittsburgh.

SV boys suffer another close loss
JACKSON TWP — It goes into the books as yet another close loss for the Seneca Valley boys basketball team.

SIDE LINES
ADAMS TWP — Seth Franco, a former member of the Court Jesters, Harlem Wizards and Harlem Globetrotters, will perform at 7 p.m. March 2 at the Mars Area Middle School.

Tournament champs
The Seneca Valley fourth grade traveling boys basketball team won the Oliver Tournament held in mid-January. Pictured are, bottom row and left to right: Luke Smith, Jeremy O'Connor, Dan Jelinek, Jake Bunofsky, Kyle Geiger; top row: Coach Steve Hart, Troy Fisher, Evan Schillero, Chris Hart, Eric Barbe, Josh Rupert, Coach Erv Geiger.

Same old story, but different cast
ADAMS TWP — The three seniors on the Mars girls basketball team have been carrying around a rather large chip on their shoulders.