The North Boroughs Independence Day Fireworks Celebration -- delayed due to flooding at the end of June -- will take place this Saturday, Aug. 29.

The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the second annual hot dog eating contest featuring members of the Avonworth and Northgate varsity football teams.

"Uptown Rhythm and Brass" will bring the musical entertainment right after the hotdog eating contest, about 7 p.m.

The fireworks will go off at dusk, which will be about 8:30 - 8:45 p.m.

There will be refreshments for sale.

Even as a new fire services contract for Ben Avon Heights was being accepted by Avalon Council Tuesday evening, Ben Avon officials were feeling the loss and the “backdraft” for the role some officials may have played in the decision.

In selecting Avalon to provide fire services after 15 years of contracting with Ben Avon, Heights officials last week stated unequivocally that they were changing not only to save a couple thousand dollars each year, but because of the “negotiating tactics of Ben Avon Council.”

By LOIS THOMSON

At their Nov. 15 meeting, members of Ben Avon Council presented a proposed budget of $1,056,015 for 2012. The budget lists total tax revenue income of $836,504, the majority coming from $520,754 in current real estate tax collections.

Other income includes $26,000 from prior year real estate tax; $25,000 real estate transfer tax; $235,000 current earned income tax; $29,000 noncurrent EIT; and $750 occupational privilege tax.

Alma Fleming Alma Eleanor Oestreicher Fleming, 97, of Wadsworth, OH, formerly of Kilbuck Township and wife of the late James D. Fleming, died Monday, Oct. 10, 2011. She is survived by her daughter, Patricia Livingston and her husband Paul; three grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; three nephews; and a niece. She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Nellie Oestreicher; and her brother, Charles Oestreicher and his wife Helene. Friends were received at O'Brien Funeral Home, North Side, until the time of services on Friday. Burial was in Rosedale Cemetery.

John Koch Jr.

By LOIS THOMSON

"Let's get it up and running," said Ohio Township Police Chief Norbert Micklos. And with that, Ben Avon Council voted unanimously to authorize the chief to enter into an agreement with the One Call Now System on behalf of the borough.

The idea behind the one call service is to keep all residents apprised if an emergency occurs in the community. Participation is voluntary, and council voted to give all participants the option of receiving automatic notification by phone (land lines), text message or e-mail.

Editor:

We have an unacceptable problem at Avonworth Elementary School with 750 students expected this fall to be crammed into a building built for 550. However, given the current and expected population, the proposed solution of a 19 classroom K2 school is not in line with the scope of the issue.

By LOIS THOMSON

At their Nov. 16 meeting, members of Ben Avon Council presented a proposed budget of $1,050,762 for 2011.

The budget lists tax revenue income of $832,520, the majority coming from $520,754 in current real estate tax collections. Other income includes $22,815 from prior year real estate taxes; $25,000 in real estate transfer tax; $232,577 in current earned income tax; $30,694 in noncurrent EIT; and $680 in occupational privilege tax.

This summer's rash of vehicle break-ins in the Avonworth communities is continuing, with some 17 new break-ins reported during the past week.

The thefts occurred in Ohio Township, Kilbuck Township, Ben Avon and Ben Avon Heights, with electronic devices such as GPS units and iPods continuing to be the focus of the thieves, along with loose change.

Police say that in each of the recent cases, vehicles had been left unlocked, and they are urging residents to lock their cars even when parked in a driveway.

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.

The North Boroughs' annual Independence Day fireworks will take place on Friday, July 2, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Avalon Field on New Brighton Road.

This year's fireworks will feature an all new display set to a background of patriotic music.

Emsworth Council now will fund the borough’s portion of the 2010 Avonworth Community Park bud-get after a park official explained bonuses given to two employees.

Emsworth is just one of five municipalities that help fund the park with tax dollars. The others are Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights, Kilbuck and Ohio Township.

With the hope that other municipalities will follow suit, Emsworth Council voted last Wednesday to withhold approval of the 2010 Avonworth Community Park budget because of questions about payments that included some $5,000 in year-end employee bonuses