A look back at the top community stories of 2016
Thalia Juarez | Herald-Standard
Grace Rugh of St. Cyril & Methodius Church in Fairchance (left) and food pantry coordinator Dana Kroftcheck place winter essentials for homeless individuals on trees in the grassy area across from St. Vincent de Paul Society in Uniontown. “Beyond the Pantry” provides the area’s homeless individuals with cold weather accessories (“Giving Trees”) and a place to store those and other personal items in lockers outside the food pantry (“A place to call my own”).
St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church on Union Street in California will continue hosting Mass after a regional consolidation in the beginning of 2017.
From left, Kilaiah, Kinya and Kiyelle take a rest in their bassinet. The triplets are identical, rare in itself, and occurred naturally, which makes them rarer still.
Kelly Tunney | Herald-Standard
Geraldine Jones, seen in her office in California University of Pennsylvania’s Old Main, was named president of the university after serving as acting and interim president since 2012. Jones was recently honored with the 2016 ATHENA Award, an international recognition that honors women’s leadership within the business and civic communities. The announcement was made during an event held by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce at Southpointe.
Chip Nelson, unit manager, patrols Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Wharton Township on a cold day with minimal visitation. Nelson said despite the park being slow during winter, he loves what he does. The U.S. National Park Service is celebrating its centennial this year.
Community is defined by the sharing of common cultures, interests, governments and characteristics.
But the communities that make up the Herald-Standard readership area are so much more than a broad definition. Our communities are made of people with compassion, with drive to succeed, with knowledge to make tough decisions, with heart-warming stories to tell and with a commitment to help those in need.
The Herald-Standard strives daily to bring to the attention of readers those stories in the Community section.
Here are some of the top Community stories of 2016:
Catholic church mergers and closures
In the face of a decline in parishioners and priests, the local Roman Catholic Church in 2016 dealt with new mergers and the affects of previous ones.
Bishop David Zubik of the Pittsburgh diocese announced a strategic planning initiative in May that called for evangelization along with possible church closings, saying, “Pope Francis wants us to reach out to those in need of love, of care and protection, of mercy and grace.”
In December, the diocese reported five southeastern Washington County parishes would merge into the new St. Katherine Drexel Parish, effective Jan. 8. They involve St. Agnes in Richeyville, Ave Maria in Bentleyville, St. Joseph in Roscoe, St. Oliver Plunkett in Fredericktown and St. Thomas Aquinas in California.
Mass will be offered on a regular basis at Ave Marie, St. Thomas, and St. Michael worship center of St. Oliver. Mass will be offered occasionally, including weddings and funerals, at the other churches.
Meanwhile, in the Greensburg diocese, parishioners of four churches previously merged into St. Francis of Assisi Parish of Western Fayette County are still hoping for worship opportunities that go beyond Mass twice a year in each of these buildings.
A late September meeting took place in Republic for members of the former Madonna of Czestochowa in Cardale, St. Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Leckrone, St. Procopius in New Salem and Holy Rosary in Republic. The Greensburg diocese merged them in 2013 into St. Francis, along with the former St. Thomas in Footedale and All Saints in Masontown that continue to be used as worship sites.
Parishioners at the meeting reviewed the situation: They appealed the merger in 2013. The Vatican upheld it but directed now-retired Bishop Lawrence Brandt to schedule Masses in each of the closed churches. Two are held in each every year. The parishioners pressed for more with the Vatican saying in 2015 the pastor is the “competent authority” to make scheduling changes.
When additional Masses were not scheduled, parishioners waited while Bishop Edward Malesic took office before asking for more. But, as of December, the diocese said there is no change.
Lockers, giving tree provided for homeless
A set of lockers and “Giving Trees” strung with clothesline for hats, scarves and gloves are providing the area’s homeless with some basic necessities all in one place at St. Vincent de Paul in Uniontown.
The idea for “Beyond the Pantry” and “A place to call my own” was set into motion by food pantry coordinator Dana Krofcheck as part of a personal project.
Krofcheck saw their need turn urgent after learning that a local homeless man lost his child’s bracelet and a musical instrument he cherished to construction on the ground he stashed them.
“We are seeing this as a hand up instead of a hand out,” Krofcheck said.
The 18 lockers are stationed outside the pantry. Each person is assigned two units, one for sleeping gear and the other for personal items, and a combination lock.
There is also a designated locker with a thermos or two of hot water and coffee plus some bowls of instant soup, pasta and side dishes. The items on the “Giving trees” also provide warmth.
“People need to be aware this is happening in the same town we live,” said Krofcheck.
Jones named president of Cal U
California University of Pennsylvania named interim president Geraldine M. Jones as their next permanent president.
Jones, a 1972 graduate of the then-California State College, continued her collegiate career by also serving as their provost and vice president for academic affairs, after teaching for years in the Albert Gallatin Area School District.
“California University has been my lifetime passion,” Jones said in a prepared statement.
“In every position Gerri has held, she has always been student focused,” said PASSHE Chancellor Frank T. Brogan. “She clearly is committed to seeing her students and her university succeed.”
The campus was left without a president after the dismissal of Dr. Angelo Amenti Jr. in December 2011.
After more than three years as the university’s interim president, with several presidential selection processes, the Pennsylvania State System of HIgher Education (PASSHE) officially named Jones in April 2016.
Uniontown woman gives birth to spontaneous identical triplets
A Uniontown woman and her newborns garnered local and national attention after the odds of their birth was considered one in a million.
In September, 21-year-old Kishauna Rose gave birth to Kilaiah, Kinya and Kiyelle Bass.
The spontaneous identical triplets were born from one egg
without the use of fertility drugs.
The 2013 graduate of Uniontown Area High School said twins run in her family, which is what she was expecting after a 28-week checkup that revealed there was more than one baby.
“They said I was having twins at first and sent me to the hospital to be sure. Right before I was to leave, she said she saw another head. I was shocked. I made her get her supervisor,” Kishauna said.
The healthy triplets arrived at their Uniontown home to meet their three older siblings this past fall.
Kishauna said it can be overwhelming to take care of six children under the age of 3, and that there’s no typical day at their home.
“Every day is something different,” said Kishauna. “There’s some days they wake up together, some days they don’t.”
“I’m fine. I’m getting used to it,” she said.
National Park employees dedicated to their jobs
Local National Parks, including Friendship Hill National Historic Site in Springhill Township and Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Wharton Township, are taken care of by dedicated employees and volunteers.
Whether it’s through interpretive programs or park maintenance, more than 1,000 acres are cared for, and locals are educated on several decades of history.
Chip Nelson, unit manager of Fayette County’s two national parks and chief ranger for all five parks in the western Pennsylvania area, commended the rangers and their efforts, particularly those in other states through the firefighting program.
Rangers who are called to leave the district usually work security details while wildfires are fought, usually those along the west coast and more recently, in kentucky.
As the NPS also celebrates its centennial this year, they’ve also reflected a number of changes, including an admission fee lift in October.
“It’s nice to see people so excited about it,” said Nelson, adding that a centennial stamp for the NPS passport system remains at the parks until Dec. 31.
Reporters Frances Borsodi Zajac, Joyce Koballa and Olivia Goudy contributed to this article.