• Women from the South Hills have an open invitation to a Women's Wellness Day fair, hosted by St. Clair Hospital in Mt. Lebanon and State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon. The fair is meant to share information on a variety of health and lifestyle issues.

It will be held 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Crowne Plaza Pittsburgh South in Bethel Park.

The fair will feature free health screenings such as blood pressure checks, cholesterol and glucose level testing, body fat analyses, and other services.

For more, call Mr. Smith's office at 412-571-2169.

• Mayor Ken Lockhart defended the existence of two bank accounts on which he is a signatory during a council meeting last week.

The accounts were the subject of a letter sent by borough solicitor George Gobel last month, demanding that the accounts be closed and money in them be turned over to the borough. Mr. Lockhart said that no taxpayer dollars were in either account, and that the issue was part of an ongoing political conflict. Council president Jay Lieb requested that the accounts be audited, and that the borough tax ID number be removed from them.

• More than a dozen residents attended the council meeting to defend the use of the Brentwood pool for an adult-only swim from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Council voted 6 to 1 to keep the swim with no changes.

At a meeting in January, councilman Mario Richards suggested that council consider reducing or eliminating this period to allow children earlier access to the pool.

Mr. Richards was the dissenting vote last week.

• Council also debated the best use of approximately $900,000 raised from a bond issue set aside for road repair and repaving in 2008. The issue was tabled until the next meeting so that council could further review its options.

• Council also voted to reinstate the DARE program into the Brentwood Middle School. Mr. Lockhart said that he is concerned about dedicating a police officer to this effort because it would take away time from an officer being on patrol.

• Council also approved the hiring of an intern from the Local Government Academy for a 12-week position at $10 an hour. The intern, who will likely be a graduate student, will work with borough manager George Zboyovsky to develop a 5-year financial analysis of the borough's operating funds and a 5-year capital improvements plan.

• Council also approved spending $2,422.50 per issue for a quarterly borough newsletter, to be started later this year. Also, Mr. Zboyovsky said that he is working to get more information on the borough Web site, including the annual budget.

• Council approved a motion that requests for proposals be prepared for a new police car, park planning and pool repairs.

• Blair Brockmeyer has replaced Rebecca Lafferty on council.

Ms. Lafferty resigned last month. Mr. Brockmeyer was appointed last week to complete her term, which will expire in December 2009.

Council approved Mr. Brockmeyer by a 5-1 vote with Kim Lusardi dissenting. Seven residents applied for the position.

• Trax Farms, 528 Trax Road, will hold an Easter Breakfast with the Bunny at 9 a.m. on March 15-16 and March 21-22. Indoor egg hunts will be offered those days on the half-hour from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the farm's three age-appropriate patches. Purchase tickets at the customer service desk. Petting zoo, pony rides, boomerang entertainment, Juggleseed balloon artist, the Rainbow Express Train and other activities will be available, too. For more, calI 412-835-3246.

• A free workshop "There's No Place Like Home" will be held from 6 to 9 tonight at the Green Tree Municipal Building.

State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, one of the sponsors, said the workshop will offer information for first-time home buyers, a report on the housing market, tips for avoiding predatory lending and resources on mortgage assistance and reverse mortgages.

Mr. Smith and state Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, are partnering with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services and the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group to offer the event.

• The borough expects to receive a K-9 dog, thanks to an $8,000 grant from the Ben Roethlisberger Foundation and $6,000 from District Attorney Stephen Zappala's office.

Purchase of the dog and three-month training with a canine officer costs $14,000.

The borough's last two canines were German shepherds purchased from the Czech Republic. They were retired in June 2007.

According its Web site, the Roethlisberger Foundation "seeks to (a) provide support for police and fire departments throughout the U.S. with a particular emphasis on service dogs and (b) to enhance the quality of life for residents of Findlay, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pa.''

• Municipal Authority employees and city council ratified a new four-year contract covering 18 members of Utility Workers Local 443 last week.

Council Chairman Regis McLaughlin and Local 443 President Joseph Swenglish said the contract provisions are retroactive to Jan. 1. State mediator Michael Yagercik participated in the negotiations.

Employees will receive a 3 percent raise this year, 2009 and 2010 and a 3.5 percent hike in 2011. In addition, changes in the pension plan will increase individual retirement benefits.

• Commissioners last week approved the purchase of a K-9 unit for the police department at a cost of $5,700. The dual-purpose dog, which will be schooled in drug detection and patrol duties, will be handled by police Officer Shane McGrath. Training will begin this month.

The dog, a young German shepherd, will be ready for official duty in June.

Scott is seeking business donations and a grant from the state to help pay for the dog's training, maintenance and upkeep and K-9 equipment that must be added to the police car.

• Commissioner Tom Castello was appointed basketball director for Scott Park. He will oversee a summer basketball program for as-yet-to-be determined age groups.

• Robert Phillips was reappointed to another four-year term on the planning commission, and David Henderson was named 2008 vacancy board chairman.

• Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and state Economic and Community Development Secretary Dennis Yablonsky last Thursday officially announced the coming of Newbury Market and Newbury Village development, approved by the township in November.

Newbury Market will have 875,000 square feet of retail and commercial space in a "lifestyle" center on the 88-acre site of the former Koppers and Reinhold chemical plant off Presto-Sygan Road. It is expected to create more than 2,600 permanent jobs. Newbury Village will sit on a hilltop across the road, on property that was part of the chemical plant site but was undeveloped. It will include 215 houses and 125 rental units.

Both are being developed by EQA Landmark Properties of Pittsburgh. Property owner Beazer East, Inc., the successor to Koppers, paid for 65 percent of the $4.5 million cleanup on the plant site.

The $73 million bill for land development and infrastructure is being partially covered thanks to $5 million from the state Infrastructure and Facilities Improvement Program and an anticipated $4.2 million in Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance abatements from Allegheny County, South Fayette township and school district.

• At its regular meeting Monday, commissioners recognized the service of retired library director Lois Hoop, and introduced the new director, Helen Palascak.

Mrs. Hoop, who lives in Washington, became director in 1993. Her last day was Feb. 29.

Mrs. Palascak, of Mt. Lebanon, served as head of technical services from 1997 to 2008. She said she plans no major changes at the library.

• The board approved the following contracts:

• The 2008 street improvement program to El Grande Industries, of Monessen, for $951,707.50, and to Matcon Diamond, of Pittsburgh, for $24,000. Repaving of roughly 10 streets will begin in the spring.

The project is about $175,000 under the budget allocation.

• Four new Ford police vehicles from Kenny Ross in North Huntingdon, for $85,904. They should arrive in 10-12 weeks.

• Replacement of the township's oldest tennis bubble on McLaughlin Run Road. Contractor is John Zottola Landscaping, of Pittsburgh, for $328,720. Yeadon Fabric Domes, of Minnesota, will provide the inflatable bubble for $185,738. Costs are paid through users' fees.

It is expected to be ready in the fall.

• The Brentwood Baldwin Whitehall Chamber of Commerce will celebrate its 22nd annual Awards Dinner at 6 p.m. March 15 at South Hills Country Club, 4305 Brownsville Road. Honorees will include: Person of the Year -- Dottie Coll, chamber president and owner of Two Men and a Truck, Movers Who Care; Business of the Year -- Metropolitan Windows, owners John and Maggie Schmotzer; Organization of the Year -- South Hills Country Club. Two Outstanding Students will be presented with $500 scholarships: Gina Goettler, of Brentwood High, and Kelly Phillips, of Baldwin High.

For reservations, call 412-884-1233 or e-mail secretary@bbwchamber.com.

• The district is searching for a new delinquent tax collector.

Last week, the board voted 8-1 to deny a contract extension to Portnoff Law Associates. Director Barbara Stevenson voted no. It then voted 7-2 to terminate the contract, which would have been in effect through 2009. Vice President Steve Kondrosky and Mrs. Stevenson dissented.