the almanac J U N E 9, 2024
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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At age 90, Betty Copeland leads Bridgeville By Brad Hundt Staff writer
bhundt@observer-reporter.com
Betty Copeland
BRIDGEVILLE – Not long after Betty Copeland became mayor of Bridgeville, the onesquare-mile borough faced one of the most challenging days in its recent history. A torrential downpour on the evening of June 20, 2018, brought 3 inches of rain to
South Hills communities in just a few hours and caused McLaughlin Run to overflow its banks. Baldwin Street in Bridgeville flooded, displacing residents, damaging homes and businesses and leaving a surreal scene of debris and mud for days after. The borough has since taken steps to try to ease the threat of flooding on the street and those that surround it,
purchasing some properties and tearing them down. Grass and trees have been planted in their place so the water has someplace to go the next time the heavens open up. “I’m so grateful we have a flood committee and, once the call goes out, everyone responds immediately, seeing what the needs will be,” Copeland explained in her office at the borough building recently.
“Our borough engineers are working well to see that it’s getting taken care of.” Thinking about flood mitigation isn’t typically something someone in their golden years would have to think about, but Copeland has broken the mold in Bridgeville in more ways than one. When Copeland, a Democrat, defeated the incumbent Republican mayor, Pat DeBlasio, by
32 votes out of 1,014 cast in November 2017, she became Bridgeville’s first Black mayor and first female mayor. Copeland is most likely the oldest person to have ever held the job – she celebrated her 90th birthday in March. With the retirement last year of John Dindak, the 96-year-old mayor of West Homestead, she is SEE LEADS PAGE A2
Sharing respect and support U.S., Ukrainian veterans discuss war in Ukraine, honor U.S. veterans By Karen Mansfield Staff writer
kmansfield@observer-reporter.com
PHOTOS: ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
Maddy Tokarczyk (front) and Josie Woleslagle (back) enjoy a refreshing spray of water to beat the heat during opening day at the new splash park in Bethel Park.
PLAY TIME
Bethel Park facility fun for all ages
Lucy Yeckel races to become the first to enter and use the water features at the new splash pad in Bethel Park.
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac,net
Oh, to be young again. That thought crossed the mind of Rachel Lucarelli as she watched her husband, Anthony, and daughter, Emilia, play in Bethel Park’s new Splash Park. “We never had anything like this when I was growing up,” said Lucarelli. “It’s fabulous and will be nice for Emilia to enjoy.” Children of all ages, even adults, reveled in the facility during its grand opening over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Located on Park Avenue next to the community center, the Splash Park features various spray toys, a river component to float toys and other attractions. ADA-accessible, the park is a little over an acre in size and includes a snack stand as well as unisex, air-conditioned restrooms. “It’s beautiful. Really nice,” said Tiffany Turner. Turner grew up in Bethel Park and decided to raise her children in the municipality. She attended the opening day festivities with her daughter, Sadie, 5, and son, Roman, 7. SEE PLAY PAGE A2
What’s happening, B3
SEE SUPPORT PAGE A4
First splash
Lucy Yeckel walked purposely with her mother, Jennifer, to the entrance of the Splash Park on May 25. “I want to be the first one in,” she said. Mission accomplished. After speeches from dignitaries, the Pledge of Allegiance on this Memorial Day weekend and a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Yeckel skipped down the
NEWS Spotted lanternfly nymphs begin to hatch PAGE A3
Vadym Korobenko was a television sports reporter in Ukraine until he joined the Ukrainian National Guard in 2014 after Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine. Korobenko fought in and around the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol. A decade later, Korobenko, 39, and a retired lieutenant, is devastated that the city lies in ruin and is now under Russian occupation. “I am so broken. I was born in the capital city of Kyiv, but my first steps were taken in Mariupol when I was 1 year old, and Mariupol is my soul. And today the city is destroyed. It is a dead city,” said Korobenko, who bears a tattoo representing the city on his thigh. “I hope so in the future we will build a new city in its place. It’s not just a city, it’s a symbol of Ukraine. So it is my pain, it is my hope, it is my soul.” Korobenko was one of four Ukrainian and U.S. veterans who met May 28 for a roundtable discussion about the war, now entering its third year after Russia launched
an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The panel also talked about the medical and mental health needs of veterans, as the war continues to take a physical and psychological toll on the Ukrainian population. And the Ukrainian veterans also wanted to thank people in Washington, Greene, Fayette, and neighboring counties for their support and for the new $61 billion aid package for Ukraine that was passed by Congress in May, after months of intense debate, and to honor fallen American soldiers in the post-Memorial Day event. The support comes as Ukrainian soldiers march into their third summer fighting. “This is the third year of active war in Ukraine, and I understand a lot of people in the U.S. and other countries around the world are getting tired of this because it is so hard for the mental part. But I want to say in Ukraine, we can’t tire of the war. We have a simple choice: keep fighting and stay alive or stop fighting and we’ll die, all Ukrainians. I want to thank
steps leading to the $3.5 million facility that features an array of water features. Dishing off her sunglasses and flip flops to her mom, she raced to the water. Planting her feet firmly into the lazy river, she shouted, “Mom, you need to get wet.” SEE SPLASH PAGE A2
SPORTS BP bounces back, beats Mechanicsburg in playoffs PAGE B1 Real estate transactions, A5
KAREN MANSFIELD/OBSERVER-REPORTER
Ukrainian National Guard veteran Vadym Korobenko, left, and U.S. Army Special Forces veteran David Bramlette, right, prepare to lay a wreath in honor of fallen U.S. soldiers during a post-Memorial Day service at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies on May 28.
SIGHTS & SOUNDS Organization to host inaugural Babesburg Bash PAGE B3 Classifieds, B4-6