the almanac M A R C H 22, 2026
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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SKIMMING OFF THE TOP
AHN CONSIDERING SOUTHPOINTE SITE FOR NEW HOSPITAL
Beware of thieves after your credit card information
KAREN MANSFIELD
Allegheny Health Network is searching for a new site to construct a state-of-the-art hospital to replace AHN Canonsburg Hospital. The Southpointe business district is one of the locations under consideration.
By Karen Mansfield
kmansfield@observer-reporter.com
Tapping a card at a terminal is substantially less risky than swiping or inserting a card, according to law enforcement.
By Jen Garofalo
jgarofalo@heraldstandard.com
You swipe your card, take your purchase and walk out of the store. It’s a pretty common scenario. It’s also one that can leave you with less money in the bank or less room on your credit card. Skimming and shimming cases are on the rise everywhere, said state police Trooper Kalee Barnhart. Both are designed to take information that enables thieves to essentially clone credit and debit cards (skimmers from the magnetic strip on the back, shimmers from the rectangular chip on the front). That data can be used to withdraw money and make unauthorized purchases. It can also be sold online, Barnhart said, and “happens around here more
STUART RAMSON/AP IMAGES FOR VISA
than we know.” Often, it’s only discovered when money goes missing from a bank account, or the balance on a credit card unexpectedly jumps. The devices cost U.S. financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion annually, according to data from the U.S. Secret Service. Starting last week, the agency partnered with state police to conduct spot checks at businesses looking for the devices.
What are they?
Skimmers use fake overlays that are almost identical to the front of an ATM or point-of-sale terminals in a store or at a gas pump, Barnhart said. Shimmers are placed inside of the card reader. Both take seconds to install and remove, Barnhart said. When someone places a debit or credit card into the slot of a card reader, the device captures
the card’s data. Then, thieves retrieve that data via Bluetooth, an SD card or by removing the device and downloading the data. Self-checkouts, card readers at gas pumps and ATMs are prime targets for the devices, Barnhart said.
How to spot them
There is no way to be 100% certain a card reader is safe to use, but taking some precautions can reduce the risks. Before withdrawing money from an ATM or swiping your card, Barnhart suggested looking at the machines for unusual looking card readers, keypads that look bulkier than normal or stickers in strange places. Barnhart also suggested giving the card reader a gentle tug emphasis on gentle - to see if it’s SEE THIEVES PAGE A2
Allegheny Health Network is looking for a new site to build a state-of-the-art hospital to replace the existing Canonsburg Hospital in North Strabane Township, citing logistical constraints. Among the locations being considered is a site in Southpointe’s business district. In November 2023, AHN announced plans to build a new, $232 million facility with 50 to 100 beds on the Medical Boulevard campus where the current 43-year-old hospital is located. Construction of the roughly 300,000-square-foot hospital and a campus that included a medical office building and other facilities was projected to begin in 2024, with the new hospital slated to open in 2027. But AHN scrapped those plans after a re-evaluation of the project determined the proposed site was logistically challenging. Subsequent feasibility studies of the plan showed that maintaining safe and effective operations of the current hospital while building a new one would be extremely difficult. An AHN official said March 16 in an email that the health network is “still exploring our options for the new hospital’s location, including property in Southpointe.” The health network has not set a deadline for reaching a decision on a location. Once the site is selected, AHN will provide a timeline for the hospital’s opening. Despite a change of location, the hospital still aims to build a new facility that will include an array of expanded services, including primary, emergency, and critical care; state-of-the-art surgical capabilities; advanced cardiac, orthopedic, and neurosurgical care; and various multi-disciplinary programs, including women’s health. As AHN finalizes construction plans, the health system will determine the exact scope of services that will be offered at the new hospital. AHN and Highmark Health have invested more than $2 billion over the past decade to improve access to care across Western Pennsylvania and beyond, including the construction of new hospitals, community cancer centers, surgery centers, and health and wellness pavilions, as well as the expansion and enhancement of capabilities, services and technologies at its existing hospitals, officials said.
State, federal funding to be used for Mt. Lebanon rec center upgrades By Brad Hundt
bhundt@observer-reporter.com
Mt. Lebanon is receiving close to $1 million from federal and state governments to make structural improvements to its community recreation center. A grant totaling $850,000 is coming from the federal Community Projects Fund, and $100,000 is from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Local Share Account. The money will be used to connect parts of the recreation center, which is on Cedar Boulevard and was built in 1977. As it stands, recreation center visi-
tors have to leave and use an outside ramp if they want to move between the first and second floors. At a ceremonial check presentation March 11, U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio said, “This project will bring more opportunities to Lebo residents, especially kids and seniors.” According to Keith McGill, Mt. Lebanon’s municipal manager, “The Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center opened in 1977 as a state-of-the-art facility so advanced it was where the Pittsburgh Penguins practiced. In the years since it was built, we have looked more closely at ensuring accessibility so all our residents, visitors and staff can take full advantage of the recreation programs we offer.”
LOCATION Upper St. Clair teachers earn statewide award PAGE A6
Meanwhile, several nonprofit entities in Mt. Lebanon that could be susceptible to targeted hate have received nonprofit security grants from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. They are: n Beth El Congregation of the South Hills, $25,000 n Chabad Lubavitch of the South Hills, $25,000 n Penns Woods Classical Academy, $45,051 n Seton LaSalle Catholic High School, $100,000 The Attawheed Islamic Center in Carnegie is also receiving a $100,000 nonprofit security grant, according to the office of state Sen. Wayne Fontana.
SPORTS Zoukovski claims gold at states PAGE B1
What’s happening, B3
Classifieds, B5
COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP CHRIS DELUZIO
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio greets Mt. Lebanon officials and community members at the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Center March 11. Mt. Lebanon received a $850,000 federal grant for upgrades at the recreation center.
SIGHTS & SOUNDS Historical exhibit on influential local women PAGE B3 Real estate transactions, A5
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