the almanac F E B R U A RY 1, 2026
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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AHN-Canonsburg Ambulance will continue to operate out of Peters Township EMS’ building at 300 Municipal Dr.
Peters Township approves five-year EMS contract By Jon Andreassi
jandreassi@observer-reporter.com
Ambulance services in Peters Township will be provided by Allegheny Health Network after council approved a fiveyear agreement this week. AHN, which operates Canonsburg Ambulance, will begin as the township’s EMS provider after Peters Township EMS ceases operations April 20. Council approved the agreement with AHN at its Jan. 26 meeting with a 6-1 vote. Gary Stiegel Jr. was the dissenting vote. Peters Township had been negotiating with both AHN and Ambulance and Chair, which is operated by UPMC, since December. Township Manager Paul Lauer explained that Canonsburg Ambulance had agreed to keep two ambulances stationed in the township for the duration of the five years. “What Ambulance and Chair offered was that same level of coverage, but to do it for six months. At which time they would sit down with the township to determine what was a rea-
sonable level of care. From my perspective, that is the significant difference,” Lauer said. Per the agreement, Peters Township’s contribution will be to pay the ambulance subscription fee for senior citizens for three years, which will be $12,700 annually. After three years, that will be adjusted based on Canonsburg Ambulance’s subscription rate. Lauer said the township also had this arrangement with Peters Township EMS. “They offer a subscription program that provides a discount to the county of the ambulance service if you need that service. Instead of senior citizens having to pay for that, the township picks up that cost for all senior citizens,” Lauer said. Canonsburg Ambulance will station its ambulance at the Peters Township EMS building at 300 Municipal Drive. Peters Township EMS has been owned and operated by Memorial Park Veterans of Foreign SEE EMS PAGE A2
PHOTOS BY ELEANOR BAILEY & BRAD HUNDT
After clearing his property, Tom Boes of Bethel Park used his snowblower to clean off the driveways for his elderly neighbors. His eyes can be seen as he is bundled up to handle the sub-freezing temperatures to prevent the possibility of frostbite.
SNOW SURVIVAL
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), 11.2 inches of snow were recorded Jan. 25 at its site in Moon with Bethel Park reporting the highest total of 14 inches. The official total of 11.2 inches fell two-tenths of an inch shy of the largest snowfall this century in a single day.
According to NWS, the record was set Feb. 5, 2010 as part of the “Snowmageddon” storm. The snowfall was followed up by extreme cold with wind chills as low as minus-25 degrees predicted. Temperatures hovered in the teens all week, forcing cancellations of activi-
ties and schools as well as closures of facilities throughout the region. South Hills Village Mall was closed during the storm. Grocery stores, including Giant Eagle, as well as Walmart closed early and rubbish collection was delayed one day due to the storm.
PHOTOS BY ELEANOR BAILEY & BRAD HUNDT
PHOTOS BY ELEANOR BAILEY & BRAD HUNDT
Carl Hrivnak of Bethel Park throws snow as he shov- A snowplow clears roads in Bridgeville. els his driveway after the snowstorm.
Governor talks up skilled trade grants at Junior Achievement headquarters By Brad Hundt
bhundt@observer-reporter.com
Ambulance services in Peters Township will be provided by Allegheny Health Network after council approved a five-year agreement this week. AHN, which operates Canonsburg Ambulance, will begin as the township’s EMS provider after Peters Township EMS ceases operations April 20. Council approved the agreement with AHN at its Jan. 26 meeting with a 6-1 vote. Gary Stiegel Jr. was the dissenting vote. Peters Township had been negotiating with both AHN and Ambulance and Chair, which is operated by UPMC, since December. Township Manager Paul Lauer explained that Canonsburg Am-
bulance had agreed to keep two ambulances stationed in the township for the duration of the five years. “What Ambulance and Chair offered was that same level of coverage, but to do it for six months. At which time they would sit down with the township to determine what was a reasonable level of care. From my perspective, that is the significant difference,” Lauer said. Per the agreement, Peters Township’s contribution will be to pay the ambulance subscription fee for senior citizens for three years, which will be $12,700 annually. After three years, that will be adjusted based on Canonsburg Ambulance’s subscription rate. Lauer said the township also had this arrangement with Peters Township EMS.
LOCATION Gardeners trade seeds and stories PAGE A6 What’s happening, B3
“They offer a subscription program that provides a discount to the county of the ambulance service if you need that service. Instead of senior citizens having to pay for that, the township picks up that cost for all senior citizens,” Lauer said. Canonsburg Ambulance will station its ambulance at the Peters Township EMS building at 300 Municipal Drive. Peters Township EMS has been owned and operated by Memorial Park Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 764 since 1963. According to Lauer, employees of the current ambulance service will be considered for positions with Canonsburg Ambulance. “One of the requirements of the contract is that whoever was going to be the provider offer all current employees
an opportunity to interview for a position with the new provider,” Lauer said He added that township officials hope some of the staff makes the transition due to their familiarity with the community. Peters Township EMS has notified the township it will cease operating on April 20. Lauer said the two services will work together to “ensure there is a smooth transition.” Lauer said that Peters Township’s elected officials are “appreciative of the long history of service the VFW has provided,” and called it “remarkable” that a nonprofit organization was able to keep the agency going for as long as it did. “They are all to be commended for what they’ve done,” Lauer said.
SPORTS Lawrence enters the Century Club PAGE B1 Classifieds, B4
BRAD HUNDT
On Jan. 22, Gov. Josh Shapiro discussed $3.5 million that has been allocated in Pennsylvania’s budget to expand awareness of opportunities in the skilled trades at the headquarters of Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania outside Bridgeville. He was joined by Rick Siger, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
SIGHTS & SOUNDS Power’s takes the reigns of Pittsburgh Opera PAGE B3 Real estate transactions, A5