Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 62

Monroeville Trail groups won't let train derail plans for link in Allegheny Passage Movie will spark interest in Italian greyhounds unfortunately Planners recommend against rezoning for Haymaker Village expansion vV' Run Trail. Work already started on the nine-mile stretch between Saltsburg and Delmont, where two bridges are, now being shored up and resurfaced, McKinley said. "We still have two or three little missing links of property to work 1 out, but getting to Delmont 16oks like a very real possibility," he said, "These things take a lot of but even more time." A century ago, America crisscrossed by train tracks carry-ing passengers, coal and cargojo and from even the tiniest Highways and roads have' re-' placed locomotives, but the railroads only the 1.9-acre portion of the site is usable because of a steep, sheer grade on the south side. The commission also delayed action on a proposed Eckerd drugstore at the corner of Route 48Mosside Boulevard and Route 130Broadway Boulevard so it can review a traffic impact study. The drugstore is the only specific occupant for the 5.78-acre site that has been announced, but plans for the property include three additional retail occupants in individual buildings.

The board recommended ap- Eroval for a office uilding on 36 acres along Abers Creek Road behind the Premier Medical Office Building, and a shop, garage and office on 4.5 acres at the intersection of Dexter Drive and Old Franks town Road. It also approved subdivisions for 120 acres along Tilbrook Lane and Wallace Drive that the municipality wants to buy from three families to build a central park complex. N. Blithe Runsdorf is a freelance writer. By Rebekah Scott Post-Gazette Staff Writer Rails-to-Trails groups are busily developing a network of hiking and biking opportunities for nature lovers all over the area, but one Westmoreland County group has encountered a potential trail with a seemingly insurmountable obsta-clc A trsiri The Turtle Creek Railroad still uses a narrow, six-mile strip of track in an isolated, forgotten valley between Export and Trafford an integral link in the 19-mile Trafford-Saltsburg section of the West Penn Trail.

"It's owned by the DuraBond and they use it twice a day or so to haul Eipes. It doesn't look ke that will change anytime soon," said Jack Paulik, planning coordinator for Westmoreland County Parks De- "We'll still so far as having an railroad much makes N. Blithe Runsdorf The potential for increased traffic congestion on parts of Route 130 has led Monroeville Planning Commission to vote against recommending the rezoning of 16.4 acres of land to allow Haymaker Village Shopping Center to expand. The Widewaters Group wants to rezone property on the south side of Route; 130 between Haymaker Village Shopping Center and McDain's Golf Center from industrial to business. The group plans to purchase the site, and use 1.9 acres of the property' to add four retail stores to the shopping plaza.

The, commission's 3-3 tie vote is a recommendation on the plan, which council expects to consider at its Oct. 14 (neeting. Chairwoman Debbie Hartwick said the commission "has to look at the worst-case scenario for rezoning. Once the property is rezoned to C-2 commercial use, someone could put a building on the site in spite of Widewater's best intentions and promises." A- Widewater's spokesman said DON'T PAINT build the trails we can, but active there pretty a trail not weTstui build feasible along that the trails so far as stretch. we can, but having an active railroad there pretty much makes a trail not feasible along that stretch." Jack planning Westmoreland Parks Paulik, coordinator, County Department YOUR Wnle or Phone Toll-iree 1-800-543-7040 RADIATORS Paim drastically reduces the efficiency of steam hot water radiators and wood enclosures are poor heat conductors Affordable Ace Radiator Offer durability ol steel with baked enamel finish in decorator colors Keep drapes, walls ceilings clean Proiect hpat out into the room JlCffl FREE Product Brochure tirfcW free On-site Estimates Manufacturing Inc.

3564 Blue Rock Road. Cincinnati. Ohio 45247 Tito and Bowie are cute and frisky, and when thav crrirlp nut nn walks they always at tract a lot of attention. The elegant little dogs are friendly, as is their owner, Angela Carduc-ci, of Whitehall. "What ARE they?" is the most frequently asked question.

Some have asked if they are greyhound puppies or undersized whippets. Don Vito Corleone Carducci and Bowie Carducci are Italian greyhounds. This is not a rare breed, but it is a fairly unusual one. Last year 2,468 were registered by the American Kennel Club, giving them a ranking of 52 out of 150 breeds. The No.

1 breed, Labrador re trievers, had 154,616 registrations. Otterhounds were 150th with 17 registrations. In 2002, the AKC registered 958,503 dogs. A lot more people will soon become acquainted with Italian greyhounds, for one is starring in "Good an MGM movie scheduled for an Oct. 10 release.

Previews have been shown in local theaters for weeks. The Italian greyhound "actor" soars and leaps and runs. The dog is drop-dead adorable. A lot of kids will want one, and many parents will rush out to make that wish come true Here we go again. It happened with Dalma tians and it happened with pugs.

When those dogs starred in hugely popular movies, the demand for Dalmatian and pug puppies skyrocketed. Six to 12 months later, droves of big, rambunctious adult Dalmatians were turned into shelters, pounds and rescue organizations. Pugs flooded rescue organizations in the wake of the movie "Milo and Otis." For many people, a 14- to 18-pound pug is too much dog and too much trouble. Thanks to video, DVD and CD, movies that were theater hits many years ago continue to enchant children, and Dalmatian and pug rescue groups continue to be swamped with cute puppies who grew up to be unwanted adults. Italian greyhound breeders and owners are trying to make a preemptive strike to protect the breed they have nicknamed "IG's" "Last year IG rescue found new homes for 400 Italian greyhounds," said Carducci, who adopted Bowie from that network.

"This is the perfect breed for me," Carducci told me recently, when I accompanied her and "the boys" on a walk through South Park. She works full time as a technical writer, so she needs small, quiet, couch-potato dogs. The average Italian greyhounds weigh 10 pounds. They have long, thin legs and tails and very short hair. The traits that make them the perfect pet for some makes them the wrong pet for others.

Though Carducci says Ig-gies "are not as fragile as they look," they aren't a good pet for small children, who could injure them during rough play. The short coats don't shed much, which is a plus in a breed that loves to lounge on sofas. But they need to wear Fitoroittyalgia? "Free Report Reveals The Shocking Truth About Fibromyalgia, An Amazing New Treatment That Is Giving Fibromyalgia Sufferers Their Lives Back PITTSBURGH If you suffer with fibromyalgia, then reading this may be the most important thing you do this year it can possibly show you an amazing new way to gct.immedijite and lasting relief from many fibromyalgia symptoms. A new, free report Has recently been released that exposes what 1 believe is the true cause of most fibmmyalgta symptoms that most doctors miss. If you are tired of suffering while your doctor plays "trial error" with dangerous medications, then call for your free report 24 hr recorded message.

Don't live another day in pain when the possible solution is here! 1MB Frank-Mown Road, PBh I'A I. I September Special Even so, Paulik met recently with officials from Murrysville, roeville, Loyalhanna and Mon-Salem townships, Conemaugh Valley Con servancy and Turtle Creek Watershed Association to form the Salts-burg to Trafford Trail Chapter of the Regional Trail Corp. The RTC is a nonprofit formed by Westmoreland, Allegheny and Fayette counties that aims to create recreational parks along sections of abandoned railway rights of way. So far, its Westmoreland efforts have resulted in the Five Star Trail between Greensburg and Young-wood, the Coal and Coke Trail between Scottdale and Mount Pleasant, and part of the Yough River Trail between McKeesport and Con-nellsville. Bob McKinley, director of RTC, said the long-term dream is to connect Saltsburg and Trafford on the east to the Indiana County trails system, and west to the Roaring Details needed BRADDOCK FROM PAGE EAST-1 Allegheny County to allot an extra $490,000 in federal money earmarked for the county as Community Development Block Grants to be used to demolish buildings on Brad-dock Avenue between Ninth and Eleventh streets.

Rascal said the demolition, along with improving the sidewalks, streets and landscaping in the neighborhood, would be dependent on an agreement with the borough to maintain the improvements and the cleared lots. "Part of the contingency of doing this is the task force and tne county don't want to put all this work in and see it all overgrown in a few years," Kascal said. Lots the borough currently owns are not maintained. Residents appear at Braddock council nearly every month to com mm pot talcs linda Wilson fuoco coats and sweaters outside from late fall to early spring because they don't tolerate cold weather. The breed has a reputation for being hard to housebreak, which is one of the top reasons they are turned into rescue groups.

"I don't think they're that hard to housebreak," Carducci said. "I think a lot of it has to do with the fact they don't like to be out in the cold or rain." On the plus side, little Iggies usually can be trained to use a litter box, just like a cat. Italian greyhounds MUST have a fenced yard or be walked on a leash every time they go outside. They can't be trusted to stay in their yard. Like the full-sized racing greyhounds they resemble, Italian greyhounds are "sight hounds." They've been bred for centuries to chase small, fast-moving objects like rabbits.

A cat or another small dog will have the same effect on them. When they are done with the chase, they generally will not find their way home. Perhaps the breed's most endearing trait is its affectionate personality. "They follow you everywhere," Carducci said. "They sleep with me in bed.

They curl up on the couch with me. They always want to be with you. This is perhaps the No. 2 reason they are turned into rescue. Some people find them to be too clingy and needy." The Italian Greyhound Club of America Web site www.Italiangreyhound.org has anything you would ever want to know about the breed, including how to contact a rescue representative.

Locally that would be Carducci: IGRescuePAaol.com. The local rescue Web site is. www.geocities.comIGRes cuePA. Vito and Bowie have their own Web site. I laughed out loud when I entered the site, I was greeted with "The Godfather" theme.

"Good Boy!" has other dogs. The top one is a border terrier, a breed that was 86th on the 2002 AKC registration list. Other breeds in the movie, and their registration ranking, include boxer, poodle, Great Dane, 28; Australian shepherd, 35; Bernese mountain dog, 51; Chinese crested, 62; and a longhaired herding dog which appears to be a briard, 1 16th. Information about all the breeds can be found at www.akc.org, which also includes links to more sites that highlight those breeds. Responsible breeders and their organizations will list the strengths and the drawbacks of their breeds.

Linda Wilson Fuoco can be reached at Ifuoco or 412-851-1512. osKuzdtc VAl IP ONLY WITH THI AD I EHMTOIS i I Fredrick O.Sams D.M.D left behind a net- work of wide, level trackways, tunnels, and bridges that reach into remote backwaters scenic vistas invisi- ble to all but railroad engineers and brakemen. Epter group-of fitnessamf nature buffs that has spent the past 11 years turning overgrown and abandoned tracks into interesting places to hike, Jke or ride horses. The group boasts 55 miles of finished trails and anoth- er 50 miles in some stage of develop: ment. These, in turn, link to other trails in adjoining counties.

Within 10 years, if all goes.ac-, cording to plan, 43 miles of trail spanning the south end of Westmoreland County will be joined with other paths to form "The Great Allegheny Passage," a trail stretching from Pittsburgh Maryland. Happily, the unusable traces outside Export are not part of, the Passage corridor, Paulik said. No one is sure just how the trail- blazers will get around the 'six-' mile obstacle, but they won't let, it stand in the way of developing other strips of walk- and "We'll wait and see," he said. Rebekah Scott can be reached at rscott(g or 724-836-2655. on borough plans plain of the overgrowth on lots where a building had been demolished.

Two weeks ago, the United Way sent volunteers to clean one borough-owned lot that was overgrown. Another aspect of the plan calls for building up to 13 new homes; rehabilitating two homes on Verona Avenue; and providing $480,000, or $60,000 each, to the owners of eight homes on Frazier Street to rent)-vate their properties. Other improvements incliide $200,000 to pave and install lighting on Maple Way; $165,000 to pave Beech Alley; $150,000 for a lot at the corner of dock Avenue and George Street';" and $33,400 for a bus shelter anbV landscaping at the corner of Brad'" dock Avenue and Verona Street. Ann Belser 'can be reached -at or 412-. 263-1699.

is planning to move into 32,000 square feet of the roll shop and brick shed to develop a technique for fabricating the steel beams that would be used as the tracks for magnetic levitation cars and could produce beams for high-tech Navy ships. Strickland said he doesn't want to stop with tomatoes. Someday he would like to see shrimp grown in tanks locally. "My ideas are to create value in tough communities by doing things that are a little outside the box," he said. "I want to create i these high-end products." I Ann Belser can be reached at abelserfo or 412- 263-1699.

NEWS ceived $1,000 each in the Pittsburgh Advertising Federation's scholarship competition. The scholarships reward potential in the advertising and marketing field and promote cultural diversity. Guild makesToray in agriculture PLANTS FROM PAGE EAST-1 and few pests, so the use of insecticides on the tomatoes would be minimal. Strickland said the project should run between $5 million and $10 million. There are no numbers yet, though he estimates at full production, the greenhouses could create 30 to 40 jobs.

Gaydos said the county is working with the Regional Industrial Development Corp. to make land 'available for the greenhouses at the proposed McKeesport Eco-In-dustrial Park on the former U.S. Steel McKeesport Works site near the old roll shop and brick shed. Manchester Bidwell Inc. isn't the only company looking at using space in McKeesport.

Maglev Inc. CAMPUS Lyndsay Kengle, of North Versailles, a junior visual communications major at Robert Morris University, and Jaclyn Love, of Brad-dock, a junior graphic design major at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh re CONNECTIONS NEWS TIPS Susan Mannella, assistant managing editornews 412-263-1448 Ed Blazina, editor 412-263-1470 Jane Elizabeth, schools editor 412-263-1510 Terry Shields, assistant sports editor 412-263-1989 FAX 412-263-1877 34 BLVD. OF THE ALLIES, PITTSBURGH, PA 15222 Public service announcements to be published in PG East should be sent at least two weeks before the Wednesday date of publication. OTHER SERVICES Home delivery 1 -800-228-6397 Retail ads 41 2-263-1 385 Library 41 2-263-1 61 9 Want ads 41 2-263-1 201 Photo reprints 412-263-1741 NOTICE TO OUR READERS: We are committed to delivering a dry, complete undamaged copy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to your home every day. If that fails to happen, call us at 1 -800-228-6397 before 9:30 a.m., and we will deliver a replacement copy promptly.

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