SRU names interim chief
SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University's vice president for finance and administration will act as SRU's interim president.

Hundreds come to say goodbye
SLIPPERY ROCK — Nearly 400 people came out Saturday night to say goodbye to retiring Slippery Rock University President Robert Smith and his wife, Ramona.

PLANS HEARD
Plaza gets new tenant; cellular tower to move
CRANBERRY TWP — A vacant retail strip plaza along Route 19 will get a new tenant while an existing cellular tower will be relocated to behind Monroe Muffler on Dutilh Road to make room to Interstate 79 ramp improvements.

JAVA & JESUS
Churches serve up coffee, ministry
Coffee is being used in churches for more than just a Sunday morning wake-up.

STUDENTS HONORED
The Cranberry Sunrise Rotary Club on Dec. 1 honored two fourth graders as Students of the Month from Rowan Elementary School in Cranberry Township. Pictured, from left, are Rotarian Carl Heinlein, October Student of the Month Noah VandeWater, November Student of the Month Claira Matthews and Assistant Principal Nannette Farmer.

Seneca Valley lists 7th grade honor roll
EDITOR’S NOTE: This concludes the honor roll for the first grading period in the Seneca Valley School District. The first part appeared in last week’s newspaper.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
Every week, The Cranberry Eagle will spotlight a local educator, providing a glimpse into what makes them tick.

Twp. manager gets raise
CRANBERRY TWP — The township supervisors Thursday evening voted to give township manager Jerry Andree a 1.95 percent wage increase for this year.

New traffic signal goes on this week
CRANBERRY TWP — A new traffic signal at Freedom Road and Haldeman Drive was to begin flashing Tuesday and is expected to be fully operational Thursday.

NOT ‘DEAD' YET
Screening to benefit EC Cemetery chapel
“Night of the Living Dead” enthusiasts are invited to join fellow fans of the 1968 cult horror film classic in celebration of director George Romero's birthday.

GAME CHANGER
Bill would change small games of chance, aid groups
Fire departments, veterans organizations and other nonprofit groups could get a fundraising boost under a new bill that will reform laws regulating prize money for small games of chance.

NOT A FACTOR
Metcalfe letter won’t affect waiver request
A letter sent by state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe to the governor will not influence any decision to approve or deny Seneca Valley’s application for exceptions under Act 1, a spokesman with the state said.

BASEMENT BLAZE
Homeowner, son flee fire but family pet dies
CRANBERRY TWP — A homeowner’s dog has died in an early Sunday morning fire that started in the basement of a home on Franklin Road.

Committee narrows search for president
SLIPPERY ROCK — The search for the new Slippery Rock University president has narrowed to six candidates.

Seneca Valley lists honor roll for 1st grading period
Grade 12 — Rachael Agnello, Chad Albert, Kelsey Allen, Marcus Aromatorio, Jaelyn Arrington, Caroline Baker, Loren Ball, Alexan Bartos, James Begley, Alexander Berner, Bridgette Bertoti, Emily Bintrim, Graham Bitzer, Cole Bondo, Michelle Botyrius, Terrance Bowman, Oleg Boychenko, Hannah Brichacek, Molly Brinser, Katherine Brittner, Krystal Budzynski, Elizabeth Buechele, Madeleine...

BC3 uses federal grants to develop drill workers
BUTLER TWP — Butler County Community College will use two federal Department of Labor grants to ramp up training for the Marcellus Shale natural gas work force.

BIGGER & BETTER
Vo-tech expansion nears completion
BUTLER TWP — The Butler County Vocational-Technical School expansion incorporates state-of-the-art building technology, lab equipment and shop tools in all of its 16 program areas.

Request for judge probe denied
Determining that private citizens don’t have a right to convene a grand jury in Pennsylvania, a judge denied a Cranberry Township man’s request to investigate his claims against Butler County’s president judge.

Income, costs rise in Adams
ADAMS TWP — The township supervisors passed a $6 million 2012 township budget in December that surpasses last year’s budget by $1.3 million.

CENTURY OF SERVICE
Girl Scouts celebrate with 100 projects
CRANBERRY TWP — More than 400 Girl Scouts and 194 adults in the township are celebrating scouting's 100th anniversary by doing service projects for 100 consecutive days.

Arrest warrant issued for suspected burglar
CRANBERRY TWP — A suspected serial burglar is wanted on charges that he stole a handgun after breaking into a township home last summer.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
Every week, The Cranberry Eagle will spotlight a local educator, providing a glimpse into what makes them tick.

Students of the month
Haine Middle School sixth-grader Spencer Hehr, second from left, fifth-grader Meghan Howley, center, and sixth-grader Maggie Wallowicz, second from right, recently were honored by the Cranberry Township Sunrise Rotary Club as the December Students of the Month. Also shown are Rotarian Ron Gigler, left, and Haine Middle School guidance counselor Beth Ann Smith, right.

County bolsters housing projects in southwest
The county commissioners have restated their support of two affordable-housing projects in the southwestern corner of the county, and they are urging two housing agencies to do the same.

POP STAR WOWS
Singer Joan Osborne impresses Strand audience
ZELIENOPLE — The 259 people who braved Thursday night's snowstorm to hear an acoustic performance by Grammy nominee Joan Osborne quickly learned that the singer/songwriter is much more than a one-hit wonder.

TAKING A STAND
Metcalfe urges Corbett to reject Sv tax waiver
HARRISBURG——— State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe on Friday asked Gov. Tom Corbett to reject the Seneca Valley School District’s “latest scheme” to raise taxes by denying the district’s application for Act 1 tax waiver exceptions.

HOMELESS HELP
Problem likely will get worse, experts worry
Homelessness in Butler County is here to stay and likely will get worse, agencies said.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Cranberry wins award from supervisors’ group
CRANBERRY TWP — The township was recently named the winner of the Social Media category of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors’ 44th annual Township Citizen Communication Contest.

Westinghouse president set to retire
CRANBERRY TWP — Westinghouse Electric has announced Aris Candris, president and chief executive officer, will retire as of March 31, but will remain a senior adviser to the company.

Students perform with district chorus
From left, Mars High School students Maddie Smith, Phillip Lowry, Chris Blahnik, Troy Giel, Elizabeth Meyers and Dalton Smith have been selected to perform in the PMEA District 5 chorus festival.

County salaries unchanged
Butler County’s nonunion employee salaries remain unchanged.

Flap arises over meetings
Butler County isn’t obligated to send all three commissioners to a regional planning agency’s meetings.

CDC receives $50K
Two Butler County authorities on Thursday gave $50,000 total to the Community Development Corporation of Butler County.

Zelie council seeking savings with refinance
ZELIENOPLE — Borough council is hoping to refinance $10 million in bonds and loans, which its financial consultants project will save the borough nearly $1 million during the repayment term.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
Every week, The Cranberry Eagle will spotlight a local educator, providing a glimpse into what makes them tick.

HIGHER PURPOSE
Athletes' faith on, off field stressed
CRANBERRY TWP — The Fellowship of Christian Athletes does not believe God and sports should ever be separated.

Ex-worker who stole sentenced
A former employee at a Cranberry Township heavy equipment and parts dealer was ordered to pay about $83,400 in restitution.

NEW CHAPTER
Coffee bar, updates coming to Cranberry library
CRANBERRY TWP — A number of changes are coming to the Cranberry Public Library this year: a renovated children's library, a new coffee bar and downloadable electronic books.

BUDGET GAP
SV seeks exceptions to help plug deficit
JACKSON TWP — The Seneca Valley School Board on Monday night approved a preliminary budget for the 2012-13 school year and also voted to apply for state exceptions to help plug a $4.8 million deficit.

HOMELESS HELP
Funding cuts hinder aid efforts for needy
Amanda Feltenberger works hard to help the growing number of homeless people and families find assistance in Butler County, but lately she’s been uttering a phrase that makes her heart break.

VICTIM TRICKED
Woman, 33, avoids jail in elderly theft case
A woman who reportedly swindled $2,033 from an elderly Cranberry Township woman narrowly avoided spending time in prison.

VOICe supporters
Members of two Cranberry Township churches recently presented a check for $8; 000 to VOICe of Butler County. Teams from Grace Community Church and Fountain Park Church spent nearly eight hours collecting parking donations during the Saturday of last summer’s Cranberry Township Community Days to raise the money.

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
Every week, The Cranberry Eagle will spotlight a local educator, providing a glimpse into what makes them tick.

CHAMBER starts business university
WEXFORD — THE CHAMBER has started its new Women in Business University, which offers a yearlong course to women who own businesses.

READY TO JAM
Bluegrass music is in his blood
This weekend, more than 30 bluegrass bands and countless spectators will gather at the Butler Days Inn for the annual January Ice Jam festival.

Computer porn leads to jail
PITTSBURGH — A Mars man was sentenced Friday in federal court to three years in prison, followed by 10 years probation, after pleading guilty to possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.

Zelienople council honors memory of former official
ZELIENOPLE — Council Monday night lamented the death of former councilman Jim Zeigler, who had served on the board for more than 16 years, and paid honor to him for the many contributions he made to his community.

Seven Fields blaze probed
SEVEN FIELDS — A state fire marshal Monday said the fire that severely burned Steelers running back coach Kirby Wilson likely started around the stove in the kitchen of his Seven Fields townhouse.

HELP FOR HOMELESS
Organizations in county provide housing, assistance
No one knows exactly how many homeless people live in Butler County, but those who work with agencies that help the homeless agree the number is growing.

Cranberry mother, 3 children don't quit
CRANBERRY TWP — “I'm not a number. I'm not a statistic. I am Lisa.”

LAWSUIT TOSSED
Campground developer claimed conspiracy
PITTSBURGH — A U.S. federal district judge has dismissed a suit against Cranberry Township that was filed in 2009 by a Youngstown, Ohio-based developer over the former Pittsburgh North/KOA Campground property on Route 228.

The 1st step
ADAMS TWP — Austin Heakins comes from a baseball family.

NA weathers Tornado storm
BUTLER TWP — Having your inside presence on the bench is never a good formula for success.

ARROWS HIT THE MARK
The Seneca Valley Arrows 8/9-year-old football team won the Greater 19 Youth League’s Super Bowl in November.

Mars routs Highlands; SV falls
Randi Francis (18), Sarah Getsy (13) and Jessica Bunner (12) each reached double digits in points as the Mars girls basketball team handed visiting Highlands a 64-15 defeat Monday night.

Bittersweet
JACKSON TWP — There are victories on the scoreboard and there are moral victories.

Arrows hit the target
CRANBERRY TWP — At one point during their season last fall, the Greater 19 Youth Football League’s Super Bowl may have seemed out of reach for the Seneca Valley Arrows.

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
The Seneca Valley fourth grade traveling boys basketball team won all four of its games to capture the championship of the holiday tournament at the Pine-Richland Youth Center in late December.

Mars girls fall; SV boys triumph
Ali Goetz scored 14 points and Sarah Getsy added 13, but Mars fell to South Park 70-46 in high school girls basketball action Monday night.

Always a coach
JACKSON TWP — Don Holl loves to coach, even during the offseason.

Raider wrestlers earn rout
Seneca Valley's wrestling team earned six pins in dominating visiting Blackhawk 71-9 Monday evening.

STEADY AS SHE GOES
Mars patiently dismantles foe
ADAMS TWP — In last week’s loss to Hampton, Mars girls basketball team appeared to outrun itself.

POOL SHARK
Seneca Valley Swim Club member Abby Pruce, 10, is seen here after swimming the 50-yard freestyle at the Penn State Travel Meet earlier this season. Pruce achieved her first ‘A’ time, which qualified her for the University of Pittsburgh Christmas Meet, where she placed 34th out of 53 swimmers.

Gaining traction
MINNEAPOLIS — When it comes to the Minnesota Vikings offensive line, Brandon Fusco is the new kid on the block.

Too little, too late
JACKSON TWP — In search of its second section win of the season, the Seneca Valley girls basketball team was done in by a dismal third quarter.

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON
Raiders pitcher to take mound at Georgetown next year
JACKSON TWP — He’s not heading way down south and he’s not staying up north, either.