Newtown Residents Reach Out to USC to Announce New Award

The program is founded in memory of Charlotte Bacon, a victim in the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy.

Gov. Corbett: Too Early To Tell if Funding for Mental Health Treatment Will Increase

Corbett, while visiting St. Barnabas' Crystal Conservatories for a Presents for Patients event, also speaks about the fiscal cliff and Pennsylvania's budget.

Gov. Tom Corbett—who called for more attention to mental illness in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings—would not commit Thursday to increased funding for mental health treatment. The governor said it is too early in the budget process to commit to increasing or decreasing funding for anything. His remarks came during  a press conference at St. Barnabas' Crystal Conservatories in Valencia after a Presents for Patients presentation. Last week, the governor stressed the need to look at mental illness as reporters at a press conference pressed him on whether he would support an assault weapons ban. "It doesn’t matter whether it is an assault weapon or a handgun, it’s the mental illness issue that we have to work as much as we …

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What Did You Think About During the National Moment of Silence for Sandy Hook Victims?

The dreadful shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT, happened a week ago.

A National Moment of Silence was observed across the country Friday morning to honor the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. As you spent that five minutes in silence, what did you think about? Did you pray? Did you cry? Was your mind on guns laws? Mental illness?  During that moment of silence, could you fully take in the horror of what happened to the innocents that day? Or did you concentrate on the healing that needs to follow? This national tragedy has brought out heart-wrenching emotions.  What are you thinking about and feeling today? Please share your thoughts in our comments section. Your thoughts might reach someone who feels the same and needs to see those feelings put into words. Follow us on Twitter | Like us on …

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Local Teacher Begins Book Collection in Honor of Sandy Hook Principal

Dawn Hochsprung always encouraged the students to read, even dressing up as the book fairy for a recent book fair.

Tracy Schuster, a Bethel Park High School teacher and Upper St. Clair resident, was so inspired by the story of principal Dawn Hochsprung of Sandy Hook Elementary and her heroic sacrifice in attempting to stop the shooter, that she felt she had to do something in her honor. Through a little researcher, Schuster learned that one of the things the students loved and remembered about Hochsprung was her enthusiastic encouragement of reading. In fact, she dressed up as the "book fairy" as you can see in the photo to the right, courtesy of Newtown Patch. "Like her, I think that books can make all the difference in a child's life," Schuster said. In an effort to honor Hochsprung and help spread her passion for books, Schuster and Sydney …

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Local Baker Wants Her Random Acts of Kindness to Spread

After the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Kirsten McGrath says it's more important than ever to be nice to others.

Kirsten McGrath is a wife, a mother, a professional baker and cake designer for The Pie Place, and she's sick of people being mean to each other. Instead of complaining, she and her three sons—Billy, Andy and Nathan—are doing something about it. "I am making it my Christmas mission to bring holiday cheer with me wherever I go and I am starting with my family! We are starting the 25 random acts of kindness for the month of December," Kirsten wrote on her blog. "Think how amazing the world could be if everyone tried just a bit everyday to be the person they always wanted to be." Each day, Kirsten and her boys—ages 2, 4 and 6—make sure to perform a good deed. So far they've stopped by the Upper St. Clair Volunteer Fire Department to drop off …

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USC Staff Meeting Before Class Begins Monday Following Connecticut Tragedy

The school district has reviewed safety protocols.

Upper St. Clair Superintendent Patrick O'Toole emailed another letter to local parents and guardians on Sunday: Dear Parents and Guardians: Before we return to school on Monday, I want you to know that the school staff will have met to discuss plans for addressing the needs of students and staff resulting from the horrific event in Connecticut on Friday. We will have also reviewed with the staff how best to address questions or concerns of students in a developmentally appropriate manner. It is important to remember that despite this recent tragedy, schools remain very safe places for children. The district has also reviewed security protocols. At USC, we have dedicated a great deal of resources toward student and staff safety.  In …

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