Weekend Features - 9/16/2012

Valerie Thistlethwaite feeds her tuxedo cat Hanna at her Brownsville home Sunday afternoon. Thistlethwaite is a finalist in the Purina Cat Chow Real Stories Project which is a national contest that seeks out the best people/pet combinations. Thistlethwait became a finalist in the "What My Cat Means to Me" category with her short essay dedicated to her late cat Misty who passed away earlier this year. Before her passing, Misty adopted Hanna as her own and Thistlethwaite discovered that cats can mourn as well since Hanna did just that after Misty was out to sleep. The essay ends with "My Misty- I Love You!"

Wedding Photography - 9/14/2012

Weekend Features - 9/9/2012

Ava Fisher, 3, of Uniontown is taught the art of hanging upside-down by her grandmother Pat Ozanich at Areford Park in South Union Township, Sunday afternoon. Ozanich and her husband were at the park spending time with their granddaughters before heading home together for the evening Steelers game.

Alexander Edwards, 4, and Kaylee Wilburn, 8, of Uniontown scale the jungle gym together at Areford Park in South Union Township, Sunday afternoon.

Mount St. Macrina Annual Pilgrimage - 9/1/2012

Bishop John Kudric (left to right), Archbishop William Skurla, Bishop Gerald Dino and Bishop John Pazak lead the Pilgrims in a parastas at Mount Saint Macrina in North Union Township, Saturday evening. The parastas is an Orthodox memorial service to honor the departed.

Mother Theodora of Burton, OH is welcomed to the pilgrimage by Cathy Crawford of Luthersburg, Pa Saturday afternoon. Theodora was a sister at Mount Macrina for 13 years before transferring to Christ the Bridegroom Monestary in Burton.

David Bratnick (left), 16, of Cleveland, OH compares journal notes with his life long friend Dan Loya, 18, during the teen pilgrimage, Saturday afternoon. Bratnicks says that the journals are an activity encouraged by the leaders of the pilgrimage to document their journey through their faith.

Weekend Features, Fayette Italian Heritage Festival - 8/26/2012

Mary Ferro (middle) of Pittsburgh teaches festival attendees including Fran Gigliotti (left) of Greensburg, Maria Pasquini of Washington County and Gianna Bella Maria Dzimiera, 5, of Monessen to dance the Tarantella at the Fayette Italian Heritage Festival in Dunbar Township, Sunday afternoon. Ferro continues her family tradition of teaching Italian dancing in honor of her late parents.

Kendra Moore (top) of Connellsville and her best friend Keithette Quarnick of Uniontown partner up for the grape-stomping competition at at the Fayette County Italian Festival in Dunbar Township, Saturday afternoon. Quarnick is the sister of Walt Vinoski, the owner of Greendance Winery who was supplying the prize of a case of their award-winning wine.

Sara Konopa, 6, of Uniontown enjoys the fun and excitement of the Carousel at the Fayette County Italian Festival in Dunbar Township, Saturday afternoon. Konopa spent the day with her dad at the festival as her mother volunteered as a vendor.

Josh Hoffman of Pittsburgh swallows a large amount of pasta at the Italian Heritage Festival spaghetti eating contest in Dunbar Township, Saturday evening. Hoffman was the first of eight contestants to consume six pounds of spaghetti and subsequently won a collection of gift cards to various Italian restaurants.

Francine Sampson, owner of Mom Maruca's Pizza Shop in Uniontown, chops fresh-grown basil for her homemade bruschetta at the Fayette Italian Heritage Festival in Dunbar Township, Saturday evening.

Dance partners Michelle Hartosh of Uniontown and Earl Marker of Farmington dance together at the indoor arena at the Fayette Italian Heritage Festival in Dunbar Township, Sunday afternoon. Hartosh and Marker have been dance partners for seven years.

Aidan Burnworth, 8, and his grandfather Don Burnworth of Uniontown double team Nathaniel Valente, 10, of Brownsville on the bumper car ride at the Fayette Italian Heritage Festival in Dunbar Township, Saturday evening.

Howard Mincone, juggler and physical comic, juggles five balls at once at the Fayette Italian Heritage Festival in Dunbar Township, Sunday afternoon.

Black/White Photography, Monongahela River - 8/22/2012

Early morning fog over the water - Homestead, Pa.

Railroad bridge spanning the river - Homestead, Pa.

Weekend Features - 8/19/2012

Chloe Nicklow, 7, of Normalville enjoys a front-row ride aboard the American Flyer kiddie coaster at the Bullskin Township Fair, Friday evening.  Nicklow had ridden the coaster several times that evening and was noticeably eager to continue riding.

Makayla Fekety (left), 12, and her friend Maddie Swank, 12, both of Ruffsdale, make the most of their time at the Bullskin Township Fair by enjoying the dizzying effects of one of the rides at the fair, Friday evening. Fekety and Swank come to the fair every year to enjoy the festivities and tractor pull competition.

E.J. Lowery of Uniontown (left) and State Representative Tim Mahoney cut the ribbon for the new Miracle League Field in Uniontown, Sunday afternoon. Lowery, along with his parents and late grandfather, founded the Challenger Little League in 1993 which grew into the Miracle League over the years.

Damian Smith, 3, of Uniontown hits the ball off the tee at new Miracle League Field in Uniontown, Sunday afternoon. This is Smith's first year with the Miracle League following a recommendation from his early intervention group so that he would be able to experience sports play and interaction with kids his own age.