James J. Kardell, 37, of Emsworth was arrested for simple assault following a domestic at his residence on Aug. 18.

John Arnett, 29, from Ross Township, was cited for careless driving and driving on a suspended license following a traffic stop on Camp Horne Road in Emsworth on Aug. 17.

On Aug. 14, Peter Waddell, 52, of Aliquippa, was arrested for driving under the influence following a traffic stop on Route 65 in Emsworth.

A resident of Eicher Road in Kilbuck Township reported stolen scrap metal from a dumpster in the yard on Aug.17.

On-land raccoon baiting by the Allegheny County Health Department is scheduled to begin in Ben Avon the week of Aug. 23, with aerial baiting scheduled for Aug. 27. The baiting is designed to cut down on the number of rabies-infected wild animals, particularly raccoons, and the practice has been successful as the number has decreased since 2001.

Ben Avon Council unanimously approved term limits for members of the Joint Planning Commission.

Chairman Scott Keener's term will expire 2011, John Busse's 2012, Thomas Mrozenski's 2013, and alternate Catherine Houska's 2014—all on December 31 of those years.

Council didn't set term limits when the members were originally appointed, but did so at Tuesday's meeting to comply with the planning code. Terms are staggered so multiple vacancies do not arise at the same time. When the time comes, re-appointments will be for the full, four-year term.

At its regular meeting on Aug. 9, the Avonworth School Board took the first step toward refinancing the districts bond issues.

It unanimously authorized the proper officers of the Board to explore the possibility of issuing general obligation bonds and appointing professionals to assist the school district in taking the necessary actions to accomplish the refinancing.

It could have been much worse, but the combination of an effective emergency response plan and what can only be called acts of God prevented an environmental nightmare when a tanker truck carrying a toxic chemical overturned on Union Avenue Wednesday afternoon.

The tanker was traveling down Union Avenue toward the North Boroughs about 3 p.m. when the driver attempted to turn onto the I-279 southbound on-ramp. Officials believe several tires hit a rut beside the ramp, the driver overcompensated, and the tanker flipped.

A last ditch legal challenge to stop the changes scheduled to go into effect today at Allegheny General Hospital - Suburban Campus is running into challenges of its own. Attorneys for West Penn Allegheny Health System and the Suburban General Hospital Advisory Board were in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Thursday, appearing before Judge Ronald Folino.

At issue was whether the court should issue an injunction stopping the hospital from closing its emergency room and inpatient units, and whether the group asking for the injunction had any legal right to do so.

North Hills Community Outreach is requesting donations of rice mixes, canned fruit, crackers, macaroni and cheese and soup.

NHCO operates two food pantries, in Hampton and Bellevue, serving 350 families in need every month.

According to food pantry coordinator Brandi Rukovena, “Summer is typically a slow time of the year for food donations. Most groups that donate – schools, church groups, scouts – aren’t meeting, and individual donors are away or busy. But the need is constant.”

Reports of vehicle break-ins in the area continue, as two more incidents were investigated by Ohio Township Police this week.

A cell phone and a back pack containing personal items were reported stolen from a vehicle on Laurel Avenue in Ben Avon last weekend. The theft was reported Aug. 10.

Also on Aug. 10, a resident of Berringer Place reported money and a GPS system stolen from a vehicle there, also over the weekend.

In other news from Ohio Township Police, a window in a Manchester Circle, Ohio Township, home was believed to have been shot with a BB on Aug. 5.

Emsworth Council will revisit the borough's proposed street opening ordinance after receiving some cautionary advice from the solicitor.

Council was ready to adopt a new ordinance that would require contractors digging into a newly-paved street to replace not only the area excavated, but the pavement all the way across the street and for 50 feet in each direction from the street opening.

A project for improvements in Bellevue's Lincoln Avenue business district has been accepted as part of the Pepsi Refresh program, and needs votes during the month of August.

Pepsi is offering grants for community projects across the country, with the funded efforts decided by on-line votes. Enjoy Bellevue successfully submitted a request for funding for a sound system along Lincoln Avenue that can be used to play music in the shopping district, for special events, and also for public announcements.

The Avonworth School District could save nearly a half million dollars by refunding its bond issues, and the school board is expected to set the process in motion next week.

Director of finance Brad Waters told board members at their work session Monday that interest rates are now in the area where refunding could result in the minimum 2 percent savings considered optimal for refunding.

Kilbuck Township officials will look into the possibility of selling the township hall.

The board of supervisors recently completed an overlay zoning district that will allow Kilbuck to sell the adjacent former fire hall as a commercial property. Prior to the rezoning, business use was prohibited because the building was situated in a residentially-zoned area.