Letter
Donora’s Valley Skating Center, the subject of this issue’s cover story, has actually been for sale for more than three years. Owner Linda Miner’s family has been in the roller rink business for decades, once running four roller rinks total – in Washington, Canonsburg and Waynesburg in addition to Donora. Now, the Donora rink is all that remains under the family’s leadership, and Miner and her daughter, Kylie Kritikos, are ready to hang up their skates for good.
What will become of the rink when it eventually gets sold is a mystery, but one thing is for sure: if the new owners don’t keep it as a roller rink, not only will a piece of history be lost, but so will countless memories and a great asset to the local community. Sure, the crowds ebb and flow depending on the weather and the season, but when kids are at the roller rink, they’re getting to be kids. They’re not out doing things that they shouldn’t be doing and getting in to trouble.
Staff writer Katie Anderson’s full story is on page 18. Know that when you are reading it, you are reading Anderson’s passion – for a little more than a year, she’s laced up her skates as a member of the Steel City Roller Derby. Of course, she put them on for the interview and photo shoot for this story.
On page 12, you will meet the members of Mon Valley Push, a polka band that is trying to spread the genre to the masses – and a younger audience. Staff writer Karen Mansfield will show you that they’re not your grandma’s polka band, playing not only traditional tunes, but covering mainstream songs with a polka touch. And, if the ages of the band’s members are any indication of who could be coming to their shows, they’re headed down the right path: drummer Stasio “Stush” Stetar is only 14, and three other members are in their 20s. Two members are in their 50s, and Stetar’s father, Dr. Frank Stetar, is 43.
For those who have never been fans of polka music or seen a live polka band, I urge you to check them out. Trust me, you are in for a great time. (Polkas are in my Slovenian and Croatian blood, so I do know what I’m talking about.)
Finally, staff writer Scott Beveridge got a tour of a renovated building in Monongahela from the developers who flipped it. There’s an ongoing effort in our river towns to preserve and restore history, and this is only one example. You can read more on page 24.
We’ve got some exciting stories already planned for our next couple of issues, so please forgive me if I’m eager to put the finishing touches on this one and move on to our next one.
See you soon,