• Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank is interested in recruiting new volunteers for their operations and to help member agencies. A Volunteer Open House is planned from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at its warehouse on Route 837 at the Grant Street intersection. It will include tours, refreshments and door-prize tickets with the donation of a bag of food, or bringing a friend who has never volunteered for the food bank. To RSVP or for directions, call 412-460-3663, ext. 301.

• The Seattle-based owner of the People's Union Bank and Trust Company Building in the downtown has decided to sell the landmark through an auction on the Internet.

Chesterfield Mortgage Investors, Inc., is marketing the 102-year old office building at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Walnut Street on the Internet with an asking price of $595,000.

"I feel it's a novel way to sell a quality office building considering today's economic environment," McKeesport Mayor James Brewster said. "There should be plenty of interest." For more, visit www.quietauction.com.

• The Mon Valley Initiative and PNC Bank will co-host a free workshop to help would-be homeowners get started.

The event is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 12 at the Marriott Courtyard in the Waterfront, West Homestead. Topics will include budgeting to purchase a home, shopping for a home loan and -- jumping ahead a bit -- home maintenance. A buffet lunch will be provided.

To date, the Housing Counseling program at MVI, a nonprofit that promotes home ownership, has helped more than 140 local families into their first homes, MVI counselor Mike Mauer said.

For more and to register, call Mr. Mauer at 412-464-4000. The nonprofit's Web site is www.monvalleyinitiative.com.

• Looking for a fun afternoon of bingo, baked goods and barks? Join Animal Friends and the Pittsburgh Police at Biscuits Bingo from 1 to 4:30 p.m. on April 12 at the Pittsburgh Elks Club No. 11 at 5800 Buttermilk Hollow Road in West Mifflin (near the Allegheny County Airport).

There will be prizes, a bake sale, auctions and vendor tables and time to mingle with adoptable animals. This event is family-friendly. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance by calling 412-488-8425. Admission is $20 for the first book of game cards.

Proceeds benefit local animal welfare organizations. For more, call 412-488-8425 or visit www.ThinkingOutsideTheCage.org

• An old, narrow two-lane bridge at the intersection of Route 48 and McClintock Road that serves as an access to White Oak Regional Park will close permanently on Monday.

PennDOT plans to raze the bridge to make way for a new two-lane span which will be located a short distance north on Route 48.

The $1.2 million project will include widening Route 48 and a partial relocation of McClintock Road. The project is expected to take about four months.

Starting Tuesday, motorists may access the White Oak Park entrance by using McClintock Road from its intersection with Lincoln Way.

"A great many people worked for several years to make this project happen. It's been a traffic safety issue for a long time. There have been too many traffic accidents at that section of Route 48," said White Oak Mayor Ina Jean Marton.

• The board of control approved a contract Tuesday with computer consultant Monica Hawkins to create a computerized student information system that will hold all student attendance, discipline and academic records.

When completed, it will mark the first time the district has all of the information on computer.

Donna Durno, executive director of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit and the superintendent of record for the Duquense district, said the school "has a real problem with student records" and that the system will solve that problem.

The board will pay Ms. Hawkins $560 per day for a total not to exceed 50 days or $28,000.

• Robots custom-built by area students will battle it out gladiator-style during the third annual Southwestern Pennsylvania BotsIQ 2008 competition at Century III Mall in West Mifflin this weekend.

The free metal-on-metal event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. tomorrow and 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the mall's Center Court, 3075 Clairton Road. A manufacturing expo is a new part of this year's event.

The remote-controlled robots were made by students from more than 30 regional schools, including these in South: Mon Valley CTC, Serra Catholic High School, South Park High School, Steel Center AVTS and West Mifflin Area High School.

The competition is backed by a group of educators and manufacturers and draws on students' knowledge of math, science, engineering and public speaking.

For more, call Terri Campbell at 724-552-0174 or 724-575-2420 or visit www.BotsIQpa.org.