Ask most adults what they recall watching on TV back when they were 6 or 7 years old and they'll probably name their favorite cartoons, followed by some more cartoons, followed by more of the same.

There are exceptions, of course, and Carson Bruno, a 2005 Avonworth grad, would be one of them.

By MEL PERKINS

Northgate traveled to North Catholic's Stone Field last Friday night, looking to exact revenge for the one-point loss they suffered there last year. And when the smoke had cleared, the Flames had dealt North Catholic their first loss of the season, beating the high-flying Trojans by the score of 21-7 and taking sole possession of first place in the WPIAL's Eastern Conference.

A Crafton man arrested after a police chase that ended with shots fired and two car crashes turned out to be in possession of both narcotics and a loaded weapon.

Two Avalon Police officers were hospitalized and their vehicle demolished when they wrecked on Ohio River Boulevard in Ben Avon while in pursuit of Jonathan Schaeffer, 23, of Crafton, on Sept. 4.

The incident began at the BP gas station in Avalon about 3 a.m., when police were notified of a suspicious vehicle in the lot. Police say they smelled marijuana when Schaeffer put down his window.

Northgate teacher Gretchen Monahan was one of only 55 teachers in the U.S. and Canada to be selected from among 800 applicants to attend a “SMART Exemplary Educator Summit” in Calgary, Canada, this summer.

Monahan said that the teachers met at SMART headquarters to learn new uses for the technology in the classroom, while also doing some product testing for new technology.

By JIM RUMBLE

Although the Avonworth football team's offense might be characterized as run-oriented, they picked a good time to take to the air against Leechburg last Friday.

Freshman quarterback Zach Chandler stepped up his game, throwing three first-half touchdown passes and leading the Antelopes to a 35-0 win over the Blue Devils.

"We thought we could exploit some of their weaknesses in the defense," said coach Duke Johncour. "They wanted to pack the box a little bit, and we wanted to take what they were giving us."

A pan left cooking on a kitchen stove may have started the fire that destroyed a home on Mt. Nebo Road in Ohio Township Tuesday night.

The fire at the house, which sits off Mt. Nebo Road across from where the dek hockey rink is located, was spotted from I-279 just before 9 p.m. Two dogs that were in the house both died.

The remote location, an estimated quarter mile from the nearest fire hydrant, was not the only challenge facing firefighters. Witnesses said that there were a series of mini explosions when the fire reached ammunition, propane and other substances.

Northgate administrators, faculty members and district residents gathered last Monday evening to celebrate their recently received $710,746 Keystone to Opportunity "Striving Readers Grant," which will fund a variety of programs designed to improve reading skills for students in kindergarten through grade 12.

Statewide, 550 educational agencies were eligible to apply for the grant, with Northgate being one of only 39 to receive full funding.

Bellevue will take a second stab at regulating nuisance properties in the borough with the pending adoption of an “excessive calls” ordinance.

The ordinance being considered by Bellevue Council authorizes the borough to charge the owners of properties to which police are called more than twice in a 30-day period. Unlike similar ordinances adopted by area towns, however, Bellevue’s proposed law makes it clear that people who are reporting crimes -- including domestic violence and child abuse -- will not have to worry about the ordinance being used against them.

Bellevue officials got their first look Tuesday at a proposed master plan for “streetscaping” the main street business district.

The graphic here depicts what one area of Lincoln Avenue could look like if the plan is approved. The streetscape design presented by landscape architect Brad Hazelwood, of CEC, brings lots of trees and plants into the business district to create pedestrian-friendly niches and screen some less attractive views along Bellevue’s main street.

By MEL PERKINS

The Flames kicked off their 2012 season last Friday with a shut out, sending Riverview home on the losing side of a 25-0 score.

Northgate kicked off to the Raiders, and, after a short return, Riverview started their drive on their 35 yard line. Mac Quinn made his presence felt early, as he put pressure on the Raiders’ QB, and absolutely destroyed the Riverview running back in their backfield for a two yard loss.

By JIM RUMBLE

Aside from a couple of mistakes made by his team, it was the kind of game Avonworth head coach Duke Johncour fully anticipated when the Avonworth Antelopes hosted the Rochester Rams in a nonconference game last Friday.

After battling through a scoreless first half, the Rams made good on a couple of big plays in the second half to hand the Antelopes their first loss on the season, 21-7.

"Two good football teams," Johncour said. "We went toe to toe. They capitalized on a couple of mistakes and we ended up on the short end," he said.

Faced with a sewer charge collector that has gone out of business, Emsworth Council attempted to find a solution to the problem at a special meeting on Tuesday, but was hampered by the lack of a quorum.

Only three of the seven council members attended the meeting: council president Paul Getz, and members Brian Fashian and Alex Nalevanko. Absent were Tom Maletick, Jason Helfrich, Kevin Yurkovich and Ken Kroen.