Lead Stories
Third Generation Family Business
Michael J. Rametta has an interesting history behind him. He is the third generation family member to own Rametta Audiology and Hearing Aid Center located in Tarentum and Vandergrift. It was 47 years ago, 1958, when Dr. James P. Rametta, Sr., his grandfather, opened the practice in his Vandergrift Walnut Street home. As he continued from his home for many years, Dr. Rametta probably didn’t know that two more generations would continue with the business.

Our Kids
One Of The Top In The State
Marissa Muffie stood at the foul line, basketball poised on her fingertips her knees slightly bent. Eying up the target she sprung upwards tossing the ball in a graceful movement towards the hoop. The ball bounced once off the backboard before skimming the rim and than finally sinking into the basket. This, her first victory, was made at the Saltsburg Junior/Senior High School where she attends 7th grade. With 17 out of 25 baskets, she was able to move on to the next level of the National Hoop Shoot Free Throw Program, sponsored by the Elks Club.

The Dedicated
Variety Brings A Fullness To Life
What do playing the drums, creating art, taekwondo and teaching elementary students all have in common? The answer actually isn’t all that difficult. The common denominator in all these things is Saltsburg resident Susan DeWitt. Susan’s energetic personality has enabled her to branch out into a wide variety of things, while maintaining a high level of quality in each.

AK Educators
Building Collaboration
Have you ever spent time with someone who has a good sense of humor? You laugh and listen, laugh some more, and walk away feeling fantastic. Those kinds of people make life more enjoyable simply by being themselves. Mr. Mark Fetterman, the principal at Apollo-Ridge Elementary School, is just such a person. His exuberance and amiable personality make him an excellent leader for the 793 students and staff in his school. Yet one quality that defines Mark as an outstanding principal is his ability to effectively communicate his appreciation of others and build collaboration within the school.

from The Editor
Easy Assembly
As the store clerk and I strained to hoist the 150-pound box full of summer trampoline delight into my car, I noted the comforting words on the box highlighted in a bright yellow star box, "Easy Assembly".

Gloria's Kitchen
Tasty Barbecue BLT Chicken Salad
This recipe is a great way spice up your basic chicken salad. It’s full of taste and very easy to fix. You better make sure you double the batch because everyone’s sure to want seconds. The barbecue sauce gives the chicken a delightful flavor, which makes this recipe very popular with anyone who tries it. Go ahead and share the recipe…it’s a wonderful summer dish to prepare.

Our Local Heritage
Burtner Still Alive and Well After 200 Years
A piece of nearly-200-yr-old history lives among us. It is right in our backyards, and yet many of us may have never seen it. Fewer know anything about it. It is among the first of its kind in our area, and because of that it received a stay of execution by the Governor himself.

AK Sports
Great Things in Small Packages
They say great things come in small packages. But this kind of greatness is rarely seen in such a small school as Leechburg High School. Yet, the Sisters in Softball who are wrapped in the small package of Leechburg have once again hit a season to remember out of the park.

Veterans of Freedom
Weathering the Storm
Seaman Vic Zanotti clung on to whatever was within reach, as the ship weighing tons tossed about the ocean like a bathtub toy. He was below deck in the engine room tending the engines when the Typhoon hit. “It was pretty rough,” Vic remembers. Besides trying to do his job in terrible conditions, he also had to fight the waves of nausea that came over him. Fortunately the ship and crew survived the onslaught of severe weather. This was only one of the memories that he has of the time that he spent in the Navy serving during the Korean War.

Alle-Kiski Businesses
Businesses Benefit From Good Vending Service
You don’t think too much about vending machines unless they don’t work or have what you want! Or maybe when there aren’t any around. You would think there would be a vending machine at every conceivable place today, but there isn’t. However, there’s a new company out there that is hoping to change that. B & J Lege Vending is certainly making its mark on area businesses.

Alle-Kiski Churches
St. Thomas Memorial Church Reaching Out
Father Jeffrey D. Murph is starting his eleventh year as Pastor of St. Thomas Memorial Church, an Episcopal church in Oakmont, and he couldn’t be more pleased. When he arrived in 1994 there were very few young people. Today things have changed, the parish is growing and young families are joining. Housed in a grand 100-year-old edifice that nearly occupies a half of a block, the parish is full of life with small group ministries, a mission team, outreach programs, a strong youth group, and other activities too numerous to mention. One thing is sure this is a church on the move.

A-K Dining
Creative Dining Offers A Unique Experience
It caught my eye right away. A “Wild Game Plate” with Marinated Buffalo Flank Steak, Pan Seared Boneless Duck Breast, Pancetta Stuffed Quail, served with a Red Wine Demi Glaze, Cannelini Salad with Fresh Sage and Sautéed Vegetables. I knew then that The Mighty Oak Barrel Restaurant in Oakmont specializes in offering a unique dining experience. Off the beaten path, it is probably one of Oakmont’s best-kept secrets. I may have never known about this cozy and romantic restaurant, if it weren’t for a friend who told me.