Movie to be shot at Franklin Regional

Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks studio will be filming a major motion picture at Murrysville's Franklin Regional High School starting June 14.

Based on a popular series of science-fiction books for teens, "I Am Number Four" follows aliens who are using Earth to hide from another alien race bent on exterminating them.

Aside from DreamWorks, the film is also being produced by Michael Bay of "Transformers" fame and is directed by D.J. Caruso. Filming began Monday, using 20 locations in Western Pennsylvania, including Vandergrift.

Selected from among more than 50 school buildings in the Tri-State area, Franklin Regional will stand in for the high school in Paradise, Ohio, which the film's title character, Number Four, attends while masquerading as a human. The director hopes to draw extras from Franklin Regional's students.

The school will undergo some changes to its grounds and buildings and will receive $50,000 for renting its facilities. It also will be reimbursed for the additional maintenance and security staff the shoot will require.

There have been reports that if the film goes well, DreamWorks plans more "Number Four" movies, all to be filmed at Franklin Regional.

Share Day event this afternoon

Today is Share Day, as associates from 16 Pittsburgh-area hotels will distribute food and other items to about 500 families.

They will do so from noon to 3 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Family Development Center, 708 Talbot Ave., Braddock.

This one-day, national event has been organized by the hotel company Concord Hospitality Enterprises and Feed the Children, an international nonprofit that delivers food, medicine, clothing and other items to those in need.

Ambulance to serve Hondurans in need

Sewickley Township Community Ambulance Service Inc. is coming to the rescue in an unprecedented way.

STCAS, based in the Herminie section of the township, has donated and transferred ownership of an ambulance that will be used in a rural, impoverished region of Honduras.

On May 11, the service donated a 1991 Ford E-350 type III ambulance to Shoulder to Shoulder, an organization consisting of physicians, nurses and other medical personnel.

Shoulder to Shoulder will renovate the ambulance -- which was retired from service in 2009 -- and arrange to have it shipped to Honduras. That organization assists Hondurans with medical care and projects such as water filtration.

This is the second time this ambulance was donated. In late 2005, Fort Allen Fire Department, in Hempfield, gave it to STCAS, which was reorganizing and had little funding at the time. The ambulance was refurbished through contributions from Sewickley residents and work by STCAS volunteers.

YMCA gets $1 million for renovations

The campaign to raise funds for the renovation of the East Suburban Family YMCA started impressively last week.

The Sampson Family Foundation on May 12 presented a $1 million gift to the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh, to be used for work at the East Suburban facility on Route 286, Plum. Plans include an expansion from 20,000 to 50,000 feet, an indoor swimming pool, a warm water therapy center and a larger health and wellness center.

That facility will be renamed the Sampson Family YMCA.

Store to give away 17,000 children's books

Half Price Books in Monroeville will be giving 17,000 children's books to Pittsburgh area nonprofits on Tuesday.

The giveaway, which is part of the company's 12th annual Half Pint Library book drive, will go from 2 to 4 p.m. at the store at 3757 William Penn Highway.

The books were donated by the general public.

Any not-for-profit organization, school, teacher or volunteer that can use or distribute the books may participate.

Student gets full scholarship to Seton Hill

Brad Daugherty, a senior at Greensburg Salem High School, got a very pleasant surprise Monday afternoon.

Seton Hill University officials were at his school to present a full, four-year scholarship as part of the Seton Scholars Program. The scholarship is through the Division of Social Sciences. Brad, of Greensburg, is the son of Debbie Daugherty Karl. He plans to major in business and Spanish.

School given $1,200 grant for being kind

Queen of Angels Catholic School, North Huntingdon, has earned more than its wings.

It has earned a $1,200 grant from the Red Robin Foundation's U-ACT Program, which named Queen of Angels an Award of Merit school for "implementing programs that promote kindness among students and decrease bullying behaviors."

Queen of Angels' kindness programs included a spring cleanup day at Irwin Park, St. Patrick's Day projects for nursing homes and a food drive for St. Barbara Catholic Church's Food Bank.

Principal Linda Holsopple said the school plans to use the grant money to benefit its educational programs.

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