Congressman Jason Altmire, D - McCandless, is expected to deliver $333,000 in federal funding to Heritage Valley Health System today to help outfit 50 additional physician offices and hospital satellite facilities with electronic health records. Heritage Valley Health System's Electronic Health Record program has improved physicians' ability to deliver high-quality, continuous care. With a single handheld device, doctors can now access their patients' complete patient history, along with three years of lab, pathology and radiology reports. Two-hundred and seventy Heritage Valley providers -- including all of its contracted primary care physicians -- are now using this technology."/>

The St. Barnabas Charities Golf Open, held June 1, raised a record-setting $110,258 according to the organization.

One hundred ninety-six golfers participated at Butler Country Club to benefit the St. Barnabas Free Care Fund, which supports poor and low-income residents at St. Barnabas Nursing Home, Valencia Woods at St. Barnabas and The Arbors at St. Barnabas.

Winning the tournament's Bell Trophy was the foursome of John Murray, Bob Parknavy, Tom Murray, and Ray Gergich.

North Allegheny school board and its teachers' union have agreed to a three-year contract extension that includes a 2.3 percent pay increase through 2013. The action was taken last Thursday.

The contract extension, which begins July 1, 2010 and ends June 30, 2013, requires union members to pay more for health benefits.

The North Allegheny Federation of Teachers represents 624 full- and half-time employees, most of who are teachers.

The search is on in West Deer to replace Manager John Shepherd, who is leaving after 14 months to return to North Huntingdon, where he was manager for nine years, before resigning in 2007.

Mr. Shepherd took the post in West Deer on May 5, 2008, at a salary of more than $73,000. Township supervisors will meet July 15 to discuss the division of his duties until a new manager is appointed.

Mr. Shepherd leaves July 17. He starts in North Huntingdon July 20. In addition to his time as manager, Mr. Shepherd has worked for Jefferson Hills and was the manager of Tarentum.

At their June legislative meeting, the Quaker Valley School Board passed a resolution to promote healthy and environmentally sustainable schools and to teach environmental responsibility.

Board president Jack Norris signed the formal document entitled "Blueprint for a Healthy, Environmentally Sound School District Resolution."

"The resolution advocates, and articulates the importance as well as the impact positive change in school operations and curriculum would have on our students, staff, school environment and community," said superintendent Joseph H. Clapper. The district has established a green committee made up of administrators, teachers and staff to identify opportunities for long-term changes.

Certain district procedures already support the effort, including the use of eco-friendly cleaning products, proper disposal of electronic equipment and the ban of junk food and soda in the cafeterias, according to a release from district spokeswoman Martha Smith.

"Blueprint for a Healthy, Environmentally Sound School District Resolution" is posted on the Quaker Valley Web site www.qvsd.org.