the almanac J A N U A RY 19, 2025
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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THREE STUDENTS EARN PERFECT SCORES AT CALCUSOLVE PAGE A3
COURTESY OF KRISTA KAY
This Pacman Lego creation was built by Krista Kay, Steel City LUG member. Kay displays her MOC (my own creation) at Lego shows and conventions.
Not just for kids Steel City LUG offers adults creative, social outlets through Legos By Jill Thurston Staff writer
jthurston@observer-reporter.com
Adult fans of Lego, or AFOLS in Lego terminology, have found their kindred spirits in Steel City LUG, an adult Lego User Group founded by Bethel Park resident Josh Hall. AFOLs are people who continue to enjoy building with Lego bricks as adults, or have returned, after what in the AFOL world is known as “the dark ages,” a time when other commitments eclipse the joy of creating. AFOL groups exist across the county, and in Western Pennsylvania, Steel City LUG gives adult brick builders a creative and social outlet. Their colorful and creative displays can be found around the area at public spaces and events.
Hall, 42, founded the nonprofit social club in 2012. After winning a local Lego competition, he was looking for others to connect with online, but found most were located in the eastern side of Pennsylvania. Hall started with a Facebook page, followed by an initial meeting attended by a handful of people. The group has grown steadily over the years and today, there are some 700 registered members, though not all are active, Hall said. The required age to join is 18. Steel City LUG is a recognized Lego User Group, and has a direct relationship with the interlocking plastic “brick” building company. “When we swear members JILL THURSTON/OBSERVER-REPORTER in, they swear to build with ‘the Steel City LUG member Jonathan Wagner volunteers during the whole Lego element and nothing Pennsylvania Trolley Museum’s Christmas display in WashingSEE LEGOS PAGE A2 ton County, which ended just before the holiday.
UPPER ST. CLAIR GIRLS PREVAIL AGAINST MT. LEBANON PAGE B1
CHINATOWN INN ADDED TO CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER MODEL RAILROAD DISPLAY PAGE B3 What’s happening, B3 Real estate transactions, A6 Classifieds, B4-6
Hikers brace for cold, snow Four-day week? Pennsylvania school districts have green light, but local schools are unlikely to change
By Jon Andreassi Staff writer
jandreassi@observer-reporter.com
There is not much that could stop Kevin Wasson and Amber Wiley-Brown from enjoying a hike, even the freezing cold. The Cecil Township couple were on the Montour Trail on the morning of Jan. 11 for a brisk, 14-mile hike. The previous weekend, Wiley-Brown said they were hiking at Raccoon Creek State Park with her three children. “They were like, ‘What are you doing? It’s so cold!’ But you will be so proud of yourself when you’re done,” Wiley-Brown said. On Jan. 11, Wasson and Wiley-Brown set out on the trail from Hendersonville until they came to the bridge running over the railroad tracks in Peters Township. Instead of crossing the bridge, they carefully navigated a steep incline to reach the railroad tracks. SEE HIKERS PAGE A2
By Karen Mansfield Staff writer
kmansfield@observer-reporter.com
JON ANDREASSI/OBSERVER-REPORTER
Kevin Wasson and Amber Wiley-Brown hike down the railroad tracks beneath the Montour Trail.
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School districts in Pennsylvania are now allowed to have classes four days a week instead of the traditional fiveday school week, but it probably won’t happen anytime soon locally. Legislation signed into law in December 2023 amended the Pennsylvania School Code to eliminate the requirement for a minimum 180 school days and 900 or more instruction hours each academic year. Instead, districts now can choose between 180 school days or 900 instruction
hours for elementary students and 990 hours for secondary students. The “or” gives districts the option to change the number of days students attend classes, as long as they meet the hourly instructional requirements. As of September, Pittsburgh’s City Charter High School was the only school district in Pennsylvania to switch to a four-day school week. No public schools have adopted the shorter school week. “At Chartiers-Houston, we are not looking to move to a four-day week during the SEE FOUR PAGE A2
JAN 24-26 Indoors at the Washington County Fairgrounds