Bridgeville Library President Resigns

Bridgeville library board President Nino Petrocelli Sr. announced he will leave his seat at the end of September.

Bridgeville's library board President Nino Petrocelli Sr. will resign from his seat at the end of September. The long-time board member told Chartiers Valley Patch during a phone interview Thursday that he’s proud of the new library and the many amenities it offers the community and residents. He announced his retirement from the board at its monthly meeting Tuesday night. Petrocelli was instrumental in construction of the new library, although it has dealt with difficult financial problems ever since it opened in January 2011. “I see so many good programs,” Petrocelli said. “So many kids and adults enjoy our programs. My final wish is we should do everything in our power to keep this beautiful library in our community. It’s not only a …

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More News on the Bedner Property Issue

On Monday, July 9, the Bridgeville Borough Council learned of a law on the books that prevents a closed road to reopen without the consent of the residents.

Bridgeville is geting the upper hand in its dispute with Upper St. Clair over the Bedner property issue. In the July 9 meeting, after a short executive session, the Bridgeville council voted not to act on the Bedner petition. According to the council, the borough does not have the right to the property in question. Solicitor Richard Ferris said, "Any street not open for 21 years cannot reopen without the consent of 51 percent of the owners." Solicitor Richard Ferris introduced the public to Thomas McDermott, an attorney form Gaitens, Tucceri and Nicholas, who was counsel on the matter. The borough council voted on April 9 to move forward with a petition by Neil Lyons, a neighbor who lives next to the small patch of grass near a farm gate, …

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Man Allegedly Threatened Bridgeville Councilman With Shotgun

Police say a Bridgeville man threatened to shoot Council President Nino Petrocelli with a shotgun during an argument in their neighborhood.

A Bridgeville man allegedly threatened to shoot the borough’s council president with a shotgun during an argument in their neighborhood, according to court documents. Bridgeville police said 41-year-old Christopher McElroy got into an argument with Council President Nino Petrocelli Sr. on May 30 and threatened to “put a bullet in his head.” According to the criminal complaint support his arrest, McElroy began making threatening comments to Petrocelli because he walked his dog on his front lawn. When police called McElroy to discuss the situation, he became angry and made increasingly threatening comments to the officer, according to the complaint. That’s when McElroy ended his phone conversation and got a gun, police said. Petrocelli …

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Bridgeville Library Board Could See Big Changes

The Bridgeville library board is looking for new members to help solve a major problem with fundraising that is crippling the $4 million project.

The Bridgeville Public Library board met Tuesday night to discuss its situation and how it will raise enough money to keep the new $4 million building operating. This is the second of three stories that will appear this week on Chartiers Valley Patch. The first story was about how fundraising is needed to save the new building, and on Friday we'll examine why financing problems led to the deep cutbacks. There could be big changes to the Bridgeville library’s board in light of its serious financial problems. The board is looking for new members and fresh blood to help solve a major problem with fundraising issues that are crippling the $4 million project. Some think changes need to be made sooner rather than later. “As a group, I think …

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Costly New Building is the Reason for Bridgeville Library's Problems

Michael Aquilina III, who grew up in Bridgeville, wrote a letter to the editor responding to claims that the library is struggling because of a lack of volunteers.

To the editor: I'm writing in regard to Bridgeville Public Library board member Nino Petrocelli's comment in Tuesday’s story on Chartiers Valley Patch (Bridgeville Library Facing Big Cutbacks) regarding the library's need to cut hours and layoff staff. While I greatly respect Mr. Petrocelli's contributions to the Bridgeville area over the years, his comment that "not one person" in Bridgeville has stepped up to help the library is false. The library does, in fact, have a dedicated group of volunteers who regularly donate time, effort and money to help the library with their operations and programming. These volunteers include several of my friends and family, and I'm shocked that Mr. Petrocelli would gloss over the existence of this …

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Michael Aquilina III

10:27 am on Friday, April 27, 2012

In short, what assurances do we, as library patrons, have that our donations won't be mismanaged?   more ›

Bridgeville Tailor Designed Speedy Delivery Costume

A Bridgeville tailor has made the iconic Speedy Delivery costume from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for nearly 40 years.

David Newell had just started getting comfortable with his part-time role as Mr. McFeely on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in the early 1970s when the show’s creator had a project for him. Newell, who grew up in Green Tree, had been using a somewhat mismatching delivery uniform he found on a costume rack in Pittsburgh and needed an upgrade with some pizzazz. So Fred Rogers asked the Speedy Delivery man to go on a field trip to find someone to sew a new postal costume that could also air as a segment on the show. He settled on a Bridgeville tailor named Nino Petrocelli. Newell doesn’t remember how he found him, but the two have remained close ever since. Petrocelli has made at least eight costumes over the years and altered two others. “He was…

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2011 Election

Bridgeville Sees Close Council Election

Jason Sarasnick, Mike Tolmer and Nino Petrocelli appear to have won seats on Bridgeville Council

Two incumbent Bridgeville councilmen appear to have won re-election while a political newcomer looks to have captured a seat on Bridgeville Borough Council. Jason Sarasnick blew away the competition with 582 votes that accounted for 21 percent of the total votes, according to unofficial Allegheny County results. This will be the 42-year-old Democrat’s second term on council. Michael Tolmer, 42, won his first election with 463 votes and nearly 17 percent of the total. The Republican said he was excited for the opportunity to work on the council and learn from the other members. “I’m looking forward to working with people I’ve known for a long time,” Tolmer said. “One of the things were looking to do is the beautification of Main Street and …

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2011 Election

Bridgeville Council Candidates

Six candidates are running for three spots on Bridgeville Borough Council.

  Six candidates are vying for three spots on Bridgeville Borough Council in the Nov. 8 local election. The three Democratic incumbents are trying to fend off a challenge from three Republicans, one of whom previously served on the council.  All of the seats are for four-year terms on Council. All of the candidates and profile stories can be found in our 2011 General Election Guide   Michael A. Chiodo, 54, has been on council for eight years and thinks the borough has done a good job working to improve the business district’s streetscape. He added that one of the main issues facing the borough is getting business and home owners to clean up their properties to make Bridgeville more appealing for residents and outsiders. Chiodo is running …

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