Sewickley Herald

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Herald
Serving Aleppo, Bell Acres, Edgeworth, Glenfield, Haysville, Leet, Leetsdale, Osborne, SewicMey, Sewickley Heights, Sewickley Hills
50 cents
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
INSIDE
SPORTS
Sewickley girl stuns crowd with hole-in-one at a Woodlands Foundation handicapped golf event. See Page 27.
COME ON HOME
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Tuskegee Airmen are recognized for their military service, Page 13.
LAST CHANCE
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This is the last chance to send a special message to Myron Cope. Take your Tribute Towel design entry to Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum by Monday. See Page 28.
	
	
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THl GREAT OUTDOORS
Claus a natural fit for Sewickley
By Jon Paul Creese
Staff writer
April Claus comes to SewicMey Heights with a reputation of almost supernatural clout, as some folks who have worked with her will attest.
", Chris Erler remembers a captivating incident involving the borough's new naturalist.
While searching for snakes in Fox Chapel during a nature walk with school children, a group of kids flipped a rock and out squirmed a northern watersnake in a feeble attempt to elude curiosity.
"April dove head first and caught it," Erler says.
. "She ran and dove like Superman, he re-affirmed. "That gives you an idea of how excited and determined she is."
But, unlike Superman, Claus is not a genetically enhanced "woman" of steel, and diving for reptiles-probably hurts.
She's not afraid of getting her hands dirty, either.
Claus proved this during her latest in a series of nature walks through Sewickley Heights Park.
No superhuman feats were observed, but Claus did strengthen her reputation for being the right person for the job, as she continued the daunting task of identifying, documenting and tracing every organism in the 1,000-acre park.
Claus has generated public and professional interest in the park, welcoming such renowned naturalists as Ester Allen, Beth Lewis (aka. Mother Nature), former head of the Sewickley Heights Nature Center, and Jean
NATURALIST APRIL Claus became Sewickley Height’s new naturalist last month. Here she shows off a salamander found on a nature walk.
Daniels, Little Sewickley Creek Nature Guides president.
She is also working with Sewickley Hunt to maintain /area trails.
"April provides a connection between the park and the nature center," Lewis said during the walk, which began at the S.H. maintenance facility and progressed up a hill to the site of a former popular cabin.
"She's fabulous
very
knowledgeable," added Lewis,
who is still involved with nature center programs. "It's-nice to have her at the nature center."
Claus, who became the borough's, full-time naturalist about a month ago and works out of the center, has hosted several such walks and plans to continue them even after she has satisfied her own goal of a complete inventory.
"I see it as ongoing. It's basically a [continuous] bio inventory of the park," said Continued on Page 3
Volume 102, ls&ue 32
ALEPPO
Citizens oppose litigation, ask for resignations
By Jon Paul Creese
Staff writer ___'___________
Several dozen unhappy residents ' turned out for this month’s commissioner’s meeting that was so heated, the solicitor and board president walked out.
“We can’t hold a meeting with people shouting,” said Oliver Poppenberg, board president as he exited.
Bernard Rubb, solicitor, echoed those statements, calling the meeting a” zoo.”
After Poppenberg and Rubb walked out, commissioner Gloria Vish took over and called the meeting to order with the remaining commissioners.
When audience members began asking questions and then for the resignation of the entire board, Vish along with Linda Talmon offered up their resignations.
This announcement was met with loud applause from the attendees.
The reason for the harsh words is the current litigation going on within the township.
In retaliation against Aleppo Commissioner Carolyn Smithy requests for a complete list of those who pay business privilege and occupation 'taxes to the township, the four remaining commissioners filed a lawsuit Thursday in Common Pleas Court.
The suit comes on the heels of a federal court ruling that the other four commissioners, Poppenberg Sr., vice president Rick Starr, Vish and Talmon, along with Rubb, violated the
-------Continued on Page 4