the almanac F E B R U A RY 23, 2025
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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Dogwood rejected Peters Township School Board nixes charter school application By Jon Andreassi Staff writer
jandreassi@observer-reporter.com
Molly Mathias will represent Pennsylvania in powerlifting at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.
PAUL PATERRA/OBSERVER-REPORTER
POWERFUL PRESENCE Bethel Park senior selected for ’26 Special Olympics USA games By Paul Paterra Staff writer
ppaterra@observer-reporter.com
M
olly Mathias has become a celebrity at Bethel Park High School, and with good reason. The senior will represent Pennsylvania in powerlifting at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, the lone female powerlifter in the state to be selected. She also is the first Bethel Park student athlete chosen to participate in the event.
The 2026 Special Olympics Games are scheduled for June 20-26 at the University of Minnesota and other premier venues in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” More than 3,000 athletes and 1,500 coaches from all 50 states will participate in 16 sports. “I feel great,” Molly said about qualifying. Her road to qualifying for the national competition began at a regional meet at Slippery Rock in September. Her performance there qualified her for a state competition at Villanova, where she earned
three gold medals. Powerlifting is not the only sport in which the 19-year old participates. She’s also a member of Bethel Park's bocce team and plays pickleball and top golf. She also has played baseball at the Miracle League of the South Hills since the program’s inception. “She really thrives in this setting,” said Matthew Richert, special education teacher and bocce coach. “She’s one of our best players. With this has come more opportunities to participate in Special Olympics SEE POWER PAGE A2
COURTESY OF KIM MATHIAS
Molly Mathias has become a bit of a celebrity at Bethel Park High School.
Peters Township Board of School Directors voted Tuesday to reject an application for a charter school. The board voted 8-1 to turn down the application from Dogwood Charter School, which has been seeking a new home in multiple school districts in the region. Alexandra Binsse was the dissenting vote. Officials with Peters Township School District administration highlighted what they felt were multiple deficiencies in the application, including with the curriculum and falling short of federal, state and local regulations. “A lot of these deficits are just a function of this being a recycled application that is about four years old. There have been changes in requirements in education. There is a lot we did not list,” said Dr. Jeannine French, the district’s superintendent. A particular sticking point for administration and school board members was that Dogwood has not secured a building for the school, and its ability to bring a building up to code for an educational facility. This was an issue that Dogwood Charter School ran into in Bethel Park, which was forced to close two months into the school year due to zoning issues with its facility on Madison Avenue. In addition to Peters, Dogwood is continuing to explore options in Bethel Park, as well as school districts in Baldwin, West Jefferson Hills, and Ringgold. Beth Opat, founder of Dogwood Charter School, spoke at the special hearing Tuesday evening to attempt to address the district’s concerns. “It is interesting how we always try to find holes in different things. Yes, there may be holes in different aspects, but also we are working, just as you are, to fill those deficits and to make that progress,” Opat said. “Just as you refine your curriculum every year, we ask that you give us the same grace to do the same so we have a curriculum that we feel is suitable … As I said, we are held to standards as well.” SEE CHARTER PAGE A2
Bells toll to mark 3rd anniversary of Ukraine-Russia war By Katherine Mansfield For the Observer-Reporter newsroom@observer-reporter.com
Church bells around the world will toll in unison Sunday to mark the third anniversary of the Ukraine-Russia war. Among those church bells chiming: the bells of St. Peter and St. Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Carnegie. “At 8:59 on Sunday evening, we were instructed to ring our
bells, and that’s a symbol of solemnity and solidarity,” said the Rev. Fr. John Charest. “8:59 is the exact moment the Russians crossed into the border. Every church in every time zone is going to be doing it, according to Ukraine’s clock.” All, regardless of faith, are welcome to gather at St. Peter and St. Paul, 220 Mansfield Boulevard, for the tolling of the bells at 8:59 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, which is 3:59 a.m. Monday, Feb. 24, in Ukraine
SOUTH HILLS Mahjong gaining in popularity PAGE A6 What’s happening, B3
Parishioners from St. Peter and St. Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church organize donations, to be sent to Ukraine, inside the church hall in March 2022, just a month after war broke out between Russia and Ukraine.
– the moment Russian forces crossed the border into the democratic country. “We’re lighting candles, and I’ll hold a Panikhida (memorial service). I realize the hour’s late, but we, as a parish, are still going to participate in that,” Charest said. Charest and his congregation have supported the Ukrainian war efforts since day one.
KATHERINE MANSFIELD/ FOR THE OBSERVER-REPORTER
SEE BELLS PAGE A2
SPORTS Peters Twp. swim team makes splash PAGE B1 Real estate transactions, A6
FREE ADMISSION!
FRI: 3 pm - 8 pm • SAT: 10 am - 6 pm • SUN: 10 am - 5 pm
SIGHTS & SOUNDS Immersive dinosaur exhibit hits South Park PAGE B3 Classifieds, B4
FEB 28MAR 2
Cool Springs Sports Complex