the almanac M AY 17, 2026
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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EXPANSION OF NEW Memorial Day commemorations NATION STARTED WITH scheduled throughout South Hills TRIP ALONG OHIO RIVER
Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Twp. hosting events By Eleanor Bailey ebailey@thealmanac.net
The nation pauses its celebration of its 250th anniversary by commemorating a more somber event. On May 25, the country will recognize its fallen heroes and many municipalities will mourn their military personnel who died serving in the United States Armed Forces during solemn services on Memorial Day. “Memorial Day is a time for us to come together as a community to honor the service and sacrifice of our veterans, especially those who gave their lives for our freedom,” said Bethel Park Mayor Jack Allen. For more than 25 years, Bethel Park has gathered at its Veterans Memorial. “To remember and reflect,” said Allen. This year will be no different as the municipality kicks off the holiday with a wreath-laying ceremony starting at 8:50 a.m. at the memorial plaza, located in front of the municipal building at 5100 West Library Ave. “This tradition continues to be one of our most meaningful,” Allen said. “This year’s program will be especially powerful, as we recognize those who have fallen and welcome respected speakers who truly embody service and dedication.” Retired Lt. Col. Shannon Crowley will be the featured speaker. After graduating with a finance degree from West Virginia University, Crowley
This image from John T. Faris book, “On the Trail of the Pioneers,” published in 1920, depicts the arrival of Rufus Putnam and other pioneers to the Northwest Territory on April 7, 1788, at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum rivers. Todd DePastino
ELEANOR BAILEY
Retired Lt. Col. Shannon Crowley
U.S. Marine Corps members carry the American flag during a Memorial Day parade last year.
was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. An aircraft maintenance officer initially, she worked on B-52 Bombers, KC-135 Tankers, A-10 Warthogs, F-16 falcons, F-15 Eagles and the F-15E Strike Eagles. Eventually, she earned a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Arkansas in 1989.
Bethel Park’s Memorial Day commemoration continues with a parade that steps off at 10 a.m. from the municipal building and ends at Bethel Cemetery, adjacent to Bethel Presbyterian Church on Bethel Church Road. A service, hosted by American Legion Post 760, will be held at the cemetery. State Sen. Devlin Robinson will be the
featured speaker. Raised in neighboring Brookline, Robinson joined the Marine Corps upon graduation from Central Catholic High School. He served combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. After an honorable discharge, he founded the Veterans Medical Technology company and earned a business SEE MEMORIAL PAGE A2
Swimming pools, splash pads opening Memorial Day weekend Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of the summer, and in the South Hills that means one thing: the beginning of outdoor swimming activities. A number of community swimming pools and splash pad parks will open during the long holiday weekend. Here is a roundup of the opening dates for the facilities as well as regular hours and amenities.
Dormont
By Art Smith
Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Following the Revolutionary War, the newly formed United States were eager to begin expanding beyond the borders of the original 13 states. Land south of the Great Lakes and north of the Ohio River had been ceded to the United States from the British following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The
young country struggled getting the area that would eventually form Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota organized. Squatters were moving onto the land, there were still pockets of the British, and the Native Americans that had been on the land for centuries were not thrilled about the influx of new people. The passage of the Northwest Ordinance in 1787 would set in motion the authorized development of the land. But even before the ordinance, a group of men were planning how to develop the land once it opened. On Jan. 25, 1786, Gen. Rufus Putnam and Benjamin Tupper started promoting the idea of SEE OHIO PAGE A2
$2.8 million needed to reopen Montour Trail tunnel By Conner Goetz
cgoetz@observer-reporter.com
Bethel Park
In its third season, the Park Avenue Splash Park continues to be Bethel Park’s newest attraction. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, weather permitting, beginning May 23. Seasonal pass holders can enter early, beginning at 10 a.m. All guests must have amembership card or pass to enter the Splash Park. Seasonal membership for residents only is $50 per household. A 10-day punch pass for residents is also available for $27 per pass. Seasonal passes can be purchased at the Bethel Park Community Center. Cash or card payment is accepted. Single-day passes are available for purchase by credit/debit only at the Splash Park. Daily fee is $3 per person ($5 nonresidents).
Editor’s note: It is impossible to tell the story of the nation without telling the story of the Ohio River Valley. Long before interstate highways and railroads, it was the rivers that served as the young nation’s first true highway westward. In many ways, the journey chronicled this week represents the true beginning of America’s westward march. What started with a determined group of men leaving Massachusetts in the bitter winter of 1787-88 would culminate in the founding of Marietta, the first organized settlement in the Northwest Territory.
ELEANOR BAILEY
Children wait to be doused with water at the Rolling Hills Aqua Park last season. Splash pads and outdoor swimming pools are scheduled to open for the summer during the Memorial Day weekend.
The historic Dormont Pool opens May 23 and continues through Sept. 1. Regular hours of operation will be noon to 7:30 p.m. weekdays and noon to 8 p.m. weekends from June 6 through Aug. 16. The slide is open from 1 to 6 p.m. daily, excluding school weekdays. School season hours of operation from
LOCATION Flash mob boogies in unison at Tanger Outlets PAGE A3 What’s happening, B3
May 26 through June 5 and Aug. 17 to 31 will be noon to 8 p.m. weekends and 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. weekdays. Memorial Day hours are noon to 6 p.m. Admission is free to Keystone Oaks School District residents with proof of residency. Holiday hours for the Fourth of July are SEE SPLASH PAGE A5
SPORTS Blue Devils look beyond loss to Shaler PAGE B1 Classifieds, B5
The Montour Trail Council is hoping to raise nearly $2.8 million - the largest single repair project in the nonprofit’s history - to reopen the National Tunnel. According to council President Julian Wolfe, the council contracted an engineering firm in November to assess the condition of the 112-tunnel after trail users reported chunks of concrete falling from the ceiling. The assessment determined substantial deterioration along the ceiling of the tunnel was the culprit. “They assessed that it wasn’t safe, so we closed it immediately,” Wolfe said. The tunnel has remained closed to all traffic ever since. The 630-foot-long tunnel sits nearly at the middle of the approximately 60-mile
CONNER GOETZ
Exterior view of the closed National Tunnel on the Montour Trail.
trail system that spans Pittsburgh’s South Hills from Coraopolis to Clairton, or “from C to shining C as one of my predecessors called it,” Wolfe said. More than 350,000 bikers, hikers and walkers use the trail each year, making it among the most popular outdoor attractions in the region. SEE TUNNEL PAGE A2
SIGHTS & SOUNDS Arts Landing kicking off its first summer PAGE B3 Real estate transactions, A5
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