Dear Upper St. Clair Patch readers, It has already been two years since Patch launched in this community and I have one thing to say: Thank you. The site's success is solely because of the support from you. Since Dec. 15, 2010, you've uploaded nearly 2,000 events, 300 announcements and more than 500 blog posts. And, with the help of my colleagues, we've published nearly 3,500 articles. It's fun to reflect on this day of celebration. In December 2010, I was covering the possibility of Trader's Joes coming to Upper St. Clair. Now, it's here, and I'm covering the preliminary plans for a Whole …

I'm baaaack! For about 12 weeks, all of my focus has been on my new little man, Mason. He's brought so much joy to my life. Mason was born on June 15 and has since doubled in size and fun. When he wakes up in the morning or from a nap, he gives me a big, gummy grin. It's the most adorable sight to see! He loves listening to music. Not classical music, he's more into up-tempo, top 40 music (which is hilarious). So much so that at times, it's the only way to get him to relax and fall asleep. Speaking of sleep, Mason's starting to sleep for longer periods of time and he's eating a little less …

My husband, Adam, and I are so proud to announce the birth of our baby boy. Mason Angelo Brindle was born at 4:36 a.m. on Friday, June 15. He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces and was 21 inches long. After just one week, it's been amazing to see Mason grow. He's very alert and absolutely loves affection. The little guy has filled our hearts with pure joy. Adam and I don't think we could ever be happier. I will be taking some time away to give Mason my full attention. In the meantime, please send any story ideas or news tips to Guest Editor Harry Funk at hfunk1213@gmail.com, Associate Regional …

Three new stores will open this summer at the Ross Park Mall, mall officials announced Thursday.  They include:  Vera Bradley, which caters to women and offers designer handbags, luggage, stationery and accessories. Vera Bradley, based in Fort Wayne, IN, has 52 retail stores in the United States and eight outlet stores. Madewell, a casual woman’s clothing store launched by J. Crew Group Inc. Madewell's offerings will focus on key fashion items such as jeans, chinos, T-shirts and fleece tops.  lululemon athletica, a technical yoga and athletic women's and men's apparel store that got its start…

Here at Upper St. Clair Patch, a major aspect of the site involves YOU—and everything you have to say. Do you feel strongly about an Upper St. Clair community issue? Do you love a local business in Upper St. Clair? We want to hear what you have to say.  Remember: Every article we publish provides readers with the opportunity to voice his/her opinions. We simply ask that you keep your comments respectful. We want to continue to enjoy this platform with you!  Here how's to comment:  Log in  Scroll to the end of the story  Enter text in the box provided Click "submit" Have questions? Email Becky…

Do you own a business in the Upper St. Clair area? You might already know that Upper St. Clair Patch has a comprehensive directory called "Places" with listings for the businesses in town, but you might not know that you can take control of your listing—for free. That’s right—we want you to claim your listing and make it your own. 

Business owners who claim their listings can add additional details and post new photos. You can also update some of the existing information on your page. For example, if your hours have changed or you’ve expanded the services you offer, you can change it right …

The 18 to 20-week mark in a pregnancy is a significant time period. Through an ultrasound, parents can find out if their baby-to-be is a boy or girl. My husband, Adam, and I were extremely excited to find out our baby's gender—we just couldn't wait until birth. But to make the discovery of our first born even more fun, we threw what is called a gender reveal party. It all started with our ultrasound appointment on Tuesday morning. When it was time for our ultrasound technician, Bonnie, to see if baby Brindle is a he or she, we both looked away from the computer screen. Bonnie told us when it …

Wow, it's been a year! Upper St. Clair Patch opened for business on Dec. 15, 2010, and it has been quite a year. Just check out our ten most read stories we've covered since launching. During our time, the community has experienced a variety of news. There was tragedy, such as when an elderly woman was killed in her McMillan Road home.  And fame! Our cameras caught actress Emma Watson in Deerfield Manor while filming a movie. Then, there was the truly bizarre news, like when more than $100,000 flew out of a bank van on Route 19. However, the primary stories that stand out to me as I look back…

I moved to Pittsburgh nearly ten years ago to go to college and play tennis. Little did I know I was going to fall in love with the city and with a man from Upper St. Clair. When my husband, Adam, asked me to marry him at Capital Grille in August 2010, we both agreed Pittsburgh would be a perfect place for us to get married. And perfect it was. Our many out-of-town guests received Pittsburgh welcome bags as they checked into the Holiday Inn on Pitt's campus, which included smiley cookies from Eat'n Park, popcorn from The Pittsburgh Popcorn Company, chocolate-covered pretzels from Sarris and …

Soon, Upper St. Clair Patch will be making room for local bloggers on the site. We're looking for bloggers who live, work or are interested in something in Upper St. Clair. Anyone may apply. Are you passionate about Upper St. Clair's core issues? Are you an expert craftsman or hobbyist who can share do-it-yourself tips? Do you have strong opinions about local government? Can you just make us all laugh? Can you write compellingly? Then, we want to hear from you. This isn't a reporting job. It's blogging. You write what you want to say when you want to say it. Do it on your schedule, whether …

I was born in Sheboygan and raised in Appleton, about 30 miles south of Green Bay. I grew up wearing green and gold, eating cheese curds and watching my parents pack up their suburban for tailgates on Sunday mornings. Now, as the Packers prepare for Super Bowl XLV, I am living in the capital of Steelers Nation -- Pittsburgh. And this year, I'm getting married to a STEELERS fan! How did this happen? I moved to Pittsburgh in 2002 to play tennis for the University of Pittsburgh and I never left. I have lived through two Super Bowl celebrations in Pittsburgh and covered the chaos while working …

Thanks for checking out the Upper St. Clair Patch! It's your new, convenient source for everything Upper St. Clair. We have news, sports, events and much more. You may recognize me from my former television segments and webcasts. You can now refer to me as the new Patch lady! There's a 100 percent chance you'll see me around town, searching for the stories that will interest you the most. You may also see another member of our loyal Patch team. We are here, pens in hand, cameras charged, ready to serve you. Upper St. Clair Patch will provide you with more than daily news coverage. You will …