the almanac J U N E 15, 2025
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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BP and PT get jump on Fourth of July fireworks
PHOTOS: ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
The residence of Briggs and Gretchen White has great curbside appeal after they redesigned the front yard with rocks and native plants.
Homegrown splendor Mt. Lebanon gears up for annual garden tour By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net
Home is where their hearts are, and Jan Loney and Gretchen White can’t wait to show off their properties during the Mt. Lebanon Public Library Garden Tour. The 35th annual event, showcasing eight gardens, will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 22. A Cleveland native, Loney rowed competitively at Marietta (Ohio) College while majoring in art and business before settling in Mt. Lebanon to raise a family. She has two children, Jack, 19, and Lilly, 15. A graduate of Shaker Heights High School and the Cleveland Institute of Art, Loney has specialized in metal artistry and jewelry making since she was 16. Her sculptures and commissioned art will be on display in her garden. Pieces can also be viewed at metalier. com or in her studio, which she recently opened in Lawrenceville. “It’s amazing to think of four decades of creating, but
ABOVE RIGHT: Jack-in-the-pulpit is an eastern North American plant that can be found in Joan Loney’s Mt. Lebanon garden. ABOVE LEFT: Briggs and Gretchen White water a planter filled with herbs in preparation for the 35th annual Mt. Lebanon Public Library Garden Tour.
it’s a great life. There’s a lot in nature that I find inspires me,” Loney said. Because Mt. Lebanon reminded her of Shaker Heights, Loney moved into her 100-year-old Dutch Colonial Revival-styled home nearly two decades ago. “It felt a lot like home,” she
said. “Shaker Heights is the Mt. Lebanon of Cleveland. Great schools. Close to but a little bit away from the city. Like-minded people. They have everything here. The recreation center, swimming pool, all the facilities. They recognize the arts and not just sports,” she added, not-
ing her son was in the percussion program at the high school. Mt. Lebanon also offered White a perfect place to reside. She grew up in Central New York, in the Finger Lakes region, before she gravitated to West Virginia. While working for the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention in Morgantown, she met Briggs White. He was from Sharpsburg where the Civil War Battle at Antietam took place in Maryland and was working for the Department of Energy. SEE GARDEN PAGE A2
Several communities will get an early start to their Fourth of July celebrations with fireworks displays. Bethel Park will hold its annual “Summer Spectacular” at 9:40 p.m. June 28. Rain date is set for June 29. Any change due to inclement weather will be made by 5 p.m. June 28 and announced on all Bethel Park social media outlets and website, www. bethelparkpa.gov/. “This is one of our most anticipated events each year,” said Bethel Park Manager Kristen Denne. “We welcome visitors from across Bethel Park and the entire Western PA region.” Fireworks will be set off from Millennium Park; however, no guests are permitted there. Suggested viewing areas include Abraham Lincoln Elementary School (1524 Hamilton Road), St. Germaine Church (7003 Baptist Road), Hamilton Presbyterian Church (4500 Hamilton Road), and Cool Springs Golf (1530 Hamilton Road). Parking lots will open at 7 p.m. Treat trucks will be in place at viewing locations and include Beedle’s Ice Cream at Cool Springs; Kona Ice at Abraham Lincoln; Wu’s Shaved Ice at Hamilton Presbyterian, and Wild River Kettle Korn at St. Germaine’s. Zambelli Fireworks will provide guests with the evening’s 25-minute display. For those who can’t attend, Bethel Park’s BPTV will broadcast the event live on the “Municipality of Bethel Park” Facebook page and on cable TV channels 21 (Comcast) and 32 (Verizon). Peters Township’s Community Day will culminate with a fireworks display from Rolling Hills Park at 9:30 p.m. June 28. Spectators should park in the high school lots. Community Day activities run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Shoppes at Caste Village will conduct a fireworks display at 9:45 p.m. June 27.
‘Father of Flag Day’ called Collier Twp. home Rennerdale’s William T. Kerr lobbied for national holiday to honor American flag
COURTESY OF NICK SCIARAPPA
By Mike Jones
Newly appointed Bishop Mark A. Eckman at the recent ordination service at St. Alexis Church in Wexford.
Staff writer
mjones@observer-reporter.com
Driving through Collier Township, motorists will see plenty of homes and businesses proudly flying American flags out front, just like in many other towns across the country. What makes Collier unique, however, is that it’s home to the “Father of Flag Day,” which pays homage to the man who successfully lobbied the federal government to honor the American flag with its own national holiday. William T. Kerr was fanatical about the American flag ever since he was a litMIKE JONES/OBSERVER-REPORTER tle boy. Born in Pittsburgh in 1868, Kerr This sign welcoming people to Collier Township also proudly announces showed an interest in the flag in grade that the municipality is home to Flag Day, which was designated a national SEE FLAG PAGE A6 holiday in 1949 at the behest of William T. Kerr.
MT. LEBANON Steinhauer earns alumni award from IUP PAGE A2 What’s happening, B3
SPORTS Bethel Park baseball to rebound from Shaler loss PAGE B1 Real estate transactions, A4
BP’s Eckman eager to assume role of bishop of Pittsburgh Diocese By Paul Paterra
but is ready for the challenges that lie ahead. ppaterra@observer-reporter.com “In my book, it’s obviously a very awesome responsibilNewly appointed Bishop ity,” the Bethel Park native Mark A. Eckman realizes said in a recent interview. he has much to do before he “I try not to think too much takes over as the 13th bishop SEE BISHOP PAGE A2 of the Diocese of Pittsburgh Staff writer
SCHOOL NEWS Upper St. Clair robotics team shines at world event PAGE B3 Classifieds, B4-6