Canonsburg: Doctor online to answer questions

Canonsburg Hospital's "Ask The Doctor" shows are online at the Peters Township Community Television Web site at www.ptct7.com.

The show features physicians discussing a variety of health-related issues. General surgeon Dr. Eugene Hammell is host.

• The hospital will offer a cardiopulmonary resuscitation class with an automated external defibrillator training class from 6 to 9 p.m. Monday in the McNary Conference Center. Instructors are certified by the American Heart Association. Participants receive a two-year certification.

Registration is $25. Class size is limited, and preregistration is required. Call 1-877-284-2000.

• Social worker Elizabeth Babcock will present a free seminar titled, "Understanding Emotional Eating and Finding Balance with Food" at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the McNary Conference Center.

Participants will explore why most people struggle with unhealthy urges to eat and why diets predictably fail.

To register: 1-877-284-2000.

McDonald: Council buys truck, hires street worker

Council voted Monday to sell a 2004 F-350 truck for $12,565, the highest bid. The borough has purchased and received a replacement street maintenance truck, a 2009 GMC TC5500.

• Council hired Michael Vadas, of Cecil, to fill a full-time position in the streets department. Pay is $10 an hour plus benefits. The job was expanded to full time in the 2010 budget.

• Council Monday approved paying $7,000 to engineering firm J.T. Sauer & Associates, of Robinson, to design and manage construction of a skateboard plaza in Heritage Park.

Over the past three years, the borough has secured about $50,000 in grants for the project. Grant terms require the facility be built by the end of this year, said Councilman Steve Matta, head of the parks and recreation committee.

The plaza, planned for the park's western end, will accommodate activities such as skateboarding and inline skating, while also providing benches, trees and other amenities for general recreational use.

"This is something we think is valuable for the town," Mr. Matta said.

J.T. Sauer is a designated borough engineer that also worked on the park's tennis courts and the McDonald Trail Station.

The total project cost could top $80,000, according to previous estimates.

Scott: Township budget keeps same millage

Commissioners last week approved a $9.29 million spending plan that retains the current 5-mill tax levy for the fifth year in a row.

Of the levy, 4.913 mills will be used for general operating purposes and 0.0870 mills will go to the Scott Township Public Library.

Vote on the new budget was 7-0, with Commissioners David Jason and Jean O'Toole absent.

• Officials unveiled a plaque, costing about $2,600, to commemorate the recently completed municipal building renovations.

Among the improvements were an enclosed entrance for the police department to use when loading and unloading suspects from police cars, a larger caucus room for commissioners and a small addition for the library. The remodeling work totaled approximately $220,000.

The plaque contains the names of the nine commissioners, the township manager and the police chief.

Waynesburg: New year for conductors

Musicians Ken Singleton and Andrew Boysen Jr. will serve as guest clinicians on Jan. 22 and 23 when Waynesburg University hosts its fourth Conducting Symposium.

The program includes lecture sessions covering score reading, expressive gesturing, rehearsal techniques and other conducting methods.

Register at www.waynesburg.edu. For more, e-mail rdepries@waynesburg.edu.

• University sophomores Alyssa Lang, Ashley Beaman and Kaitlin Edwards are the 2010 recipients of the Vira I. Heinz Scholarship for Women in Global Leadership.

The scholarship will afford the opportunity to travel and study overseas this summer, including a language, art and history trip to Russia, communication classes in Great Britain and a teaching trip to Ghana.

Established in 1954, the scholarship started as one $1,000 check given each fall to a junior woman at a local university. Today the Vira I. Heinz Foundation offers several $5,000 scholarships to women at 15 local and regional colleges and universities in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.

• Dr. Robert J. Graham has been named to the provost position permanently. He had been serving in an acting position.

Previously he was dean of undergraduate studies. Dr. Graham came to Waynesburg University from Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., where he served as chair of Behavioral and Social Sciences.

North Strabane: Racetrack Road fix completed

Meadows Racetrack & Casino officials announced completion of a $17 million highway improvement project for Racetrack Road that will help accommodate increased traffic flow through the area. The Meadows and Tanger Outlets funded the project.

The project included: the widening of Racetrack Road from Interstate 79; replacing the northbound I-79 off-ramp; improving the intersection at Manifold Road and Route 19; a new Chartiers Creek bridge; a retaining wall in front of the Hampton Inn; and new traffic signals along Racetrack Road.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.