the almanac M AY 25, 2025
SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY NEWS
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SOUTH FAYETTE UNIFIED ESPORTS TEAM WINS REGIONAL TITLE PAGE A5
PHOTOS: ELEANOR BAILEY/THE ALMANAC
Members of the Upper St. Clair Marching Band parade down McLaughlin Run Road during Upper St. Clair Community Day.
‘Saddle Up St. Clair’ Parade, games among activities at annual community day event
USC’S TOMCZYK EXPERIENCES EXHILARATION IN WPIAL TRACK AND FIELD FINALS PAGE B1
By Eleanor Bailey Almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.net
A grand time was had by many during Upper St. Clair’s annual community day celebration. This year’s theme was “Saddle Up St. Clair,” and residents rode the wave of activities long into the day. Events started with a 5K run and fun walk, dubbed a 1- or 3-mile rodeo. Brooks Guthridge, 4, was one of the youngest participants, who did the Run For Fun. “He ran the whole way,” said Jackie Guthridge, who grew up in Upper Clair and attended high school there. “We love all the fun activities and he especially loves the firemen,” she added as Brooks modeled his newest headgear, a plastic helmet given out at the USCFD booth. Former USC athlete Michael Pezzone did his share of running
A surprised Colton Zielinski, 7, is sandwiched in between hungry goats and a llama as he feeds the animals at the petting zoo during Upper St. Clair Community Day activities.
Gianni Disora gets a soaking at the Upper St. Clair football team’s dunk tank.
on community day. His form of exercise, however, centered around chasing after his children. While awaiting the parade, Leo, Vinny and Rom Pezzone passed
the time running the bases on the little league field where their father and his brothers, Anthony and Dominic, played baseball. “We are hanging out and I’m showing them the old stomping grounds,” said Pezzone, who also played soccer for the Panthers. “It’s so cool to bring the family back here. It’s bringing back memories of the times when I was a kid going through these programs.”
Every organization and club from the high school as well as businesses, nonprofits and service groups, such as the fire company, police and EMS, were represented in the parade. They also sponsored fair booths and games throughout the grounds reserved along McLaughlin Run Road for community day.
ATRIA’S REOPENING IS A TESTAMENT TO ITS HISTORY PAGE B3
What’s happening, B3 Classifieds, B4-6
SEE SADDLE PAGE A2
All in the family Bridgeville family served in every branch of military
Claudia Huber, center, has been working on legislation to help make Pennsylvania waterways safer in honor of her uncle, Jon Gentile. Bethel Park High School students who have been involved in efforts at the school are, from left, Cami Fisher, Samira Gorman, Laura Casaldi and Nora Welch.
By Paul Paterra
PAUL PATERRA/OBSERVER-REPORTER
Staff writer
Waterway safety legislation sought in remembrance of former BP teacher
ppaterra@observer-reporter.com
Military service is in the blood of the Martincic family of Bridgeville. “Our family had one or two in each branch of the military,” said Jack Martincic, who served three years in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Their history of service dates back to World War II, when Frank Martincic, Jack’s father, served as a machinist in the Merchant Marines. “My dad was in the engine room on a boat while in the Merchant Marines and thought all of the time about a torpedo hitting,” Jack Martincic said. “Merchant Marine boats were big targets for German U-Boats because they were all loaded with equipment. My dad would say, ‘I was always looking for where the steps were in case a torpedo hit.’” Frank was one of three Martincic brothers to serve in World War II. His brother, Bill, served in the Army Air Corps, and brother, Carl, was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force, flying reconnaissance missions. Jack’s brother, Dave, was a boilerman in the U.S. Navy, serving on a destroyer in Vietnam, and their brother, Jerry, served in the Coast Guard. Kevin, their nephew, was part of the Marine Corps military police. “It just kind of happened,” Jack Martincic
By Paul Paterra Staff writer
ppaterra@observer-reporter.com
COURTESY OF MARCIA MARTINCIC
William Martincic served in the Merchant Marines in World War II.
said of his family’s dedication to military service. Bridgeville, like many communities, has banners featuring their hometown heroes hanging throughout the borough to honor those who have served. Jack Martincic, a 1968 graduate of Chartiers Valley High School, said he was told that his family has the lion’s share. Dave Martincic died at the age of 74 in 2021 after suffering from mesothelioma, likely from fighting a boiler fire on a destroyer in Greece. SEE FAMILY PAGE A2
In the wake of a fatal kayak accident, Claudia Huber helped draft a bill intended to make the state’s waterways safer for recreation. For Huber, a legislative aide to state Rep. Natalie Mihalek, it’s been a personal undertaking. Her uncle, Jon Gentile, died in a 2022 kayaking accident on the Delaware River In New Hope at the age of 38. His kayak capsized as it encountered a low-head dam. Gentile was an avid outdoorsman and beloved history teacher at Bethel Park High School. Huber, a 2020 graduate of Bethel Park High School, compiled the original draft of the bill during a fel-
COURTESY OF BETHEL PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT
Jon Gentile was a teacher at Bethel Park High School when he died in a kayaking accident in 2022.
lowship with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She was an intern with Mihalek at the time of her uncle’s accident and has worked diligently to raise awareness to the dangers that waterways pose
to those who use them for recreation. The two have worked together to create House Bill 961. “I had an idea from the day I started applying to draft a waterway safety bill in honor of my uncle,” Huber said. “This was something I thought was a public safety issue. I had never heard of a low-head dam. I never really knew about dams.” A low-head dam is a structure built across a river or stream designed to allow water to flow to its crest. They are often referred to as “drowning machines,” due to the hazardous currents they create, posing a serious threat to swimmers, kayakers and others who use the water for recreation. SEE SAFETY PAGE A3