Pat Dragowski admits that she feels honored by being named the North Boroughs YMCA's “Volunteer of the Year,” but she is quick to add that the honor should be shared by an enthusiactic board of directors.

Pat grew up in Point Breeze, lived in Bellevue in the mid-1970s, and then moved to Kilbuck after marrying her husband, Robert. She said that the Y has been important to her through all of her years in the North Boroughs.

"I exercised there for years, and my daughter, Laura, was in many of the classes while she was growing up."

Civic Light Opera's current production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" at Benedum Center includes two area actors performing in the children's choir in the musical that runs through Aug. 14.

Allison Adams and Felicia Niebel earned their positions in the "Hosanna" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" scenes following auditions on May 10.

Both girls have previous theatrical experience.

Allison appeared in the children's choir for "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" in 2009, "A Musical Christmas Carol" in 2010, and in "Evita" in March at Point Park Playhouse.

Avonworth High School will host a series of informal discussions to develop international connections and awareness of global neighbors during “Global Evenings at Avonworth” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 10.

The features speakers are Frank Li, founding member, Pittsburgh China Chamber of Commerce; Annie Macher Prucey, vice president, World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh; and Donna Lee Siple, executive director, Japan-America Society of Pittsburgh.

The topic is “Pittsburgh’s Growing Connections to East Asia; Partnerships with China and Japan.”

If you hang around Bellevue Council meetings long enough, you'll find that certain ideas and topics come up again and again, a few years apart.

Most people don't recognize this because, quite frankly, people with intact cognitive functions do not hang around Bellevue Council meetings for very long if they want to remain that way.

Some people, however, must attend because it is their job to do so. And they eventually start to see the stories repeat themselves.

Even as local politicians were gearing up to run for state legislative seats in new districts, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Wednesday struck down the reapportionment plan, completely rearranging the proposed political landscape in areas such as the North Boroughs.

Theresa Balestrieri Theresa Balestrieri, 87, wife of the late Charles Balestrieri, died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2012.

A Pittsburgh man faces an extensive list of criminal charges after reportedly stealing 24 cents worth of gas from a Bellevue gas station and being pursued by police for about 500 feet.

David Marks, 52, of 25 Lanark St., Pittsburgh 15214, was caught after what police say was the latest in a series of gas station drive-offs.

Kenneth Todoverto Sr. Kenneth M. Todoverto Sr., 81, of Bellevue died Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. He is survived by his wife, Loretta Todoverto; four children, Kenneth Todoverto Jr. and his wife Sandy, Janice Barry and her husband Mike, Carla Pritchard and her husband Glenn and Donna Boyer; his sister, Louise Killian; and five grandchildren, Brian Verlihay and his wife Steph, Steven Verlihay, Glenn Pritchard Jr., Becky Pritchard and Ally Boyer.

Believing that Christmas can still change the world, Emsworth United Presbyterian Church has partnered with the Advent Conspiracy to celebrate the holiday by spending less, giving more, worshiping fully and loving all during this special season.

Reverend Susan M. Rothenberg, pastor of the church, said that the partnership provides the congregation with the opportunity to purchase alternative gifts to benefit non-profit groups that answer Christ's call "…to seek His presence in the 'least of these,' as urged in Matthew 25:40."

Pending the approval of next year’s borough council, Bellevue will contribute to the Congress of Neighboring Communities (CONNECT) as a sign of the borough’s commitment to the program.

CONNECT is a project of Pitt’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, designed to deal with “policy level issues” facing the City of Pittsburgh and the 38 municipalities that border the city, according to associate director Kathy Risko.

An Avalon police officer escaped without injury, although he was dragged some 20 feet by a vehicle he was attempting to stop last Saturday night.

The man behind the wheel of that car led officers from multiple jurisdictions on a chase through the City of Pittsburgh and North Hills before being stopped and taken into custody.

The incident began just before 1 a.m. when Avalon officers were dispatched to Center Avenue for a reported burglary in progress. Police say they were told that a man had entered the residence and begun moving items outside.