Latest News
December 23, 2019

Couple decorates home with festive Christmas puzzles

By Stacy Wolford

By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
Putting together a puzzle is not always an easy task.
It can be stressful and time consuming, but for George and Marge Jonas, it is one of their favorite past times.
Despite the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, including buying gifts for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, they decorate their home each year with thousands of Santa Claus figures, pictures and ornaments they have collected for more than 55 years in their Monongahela home.
Those decorations are now accompanied by six beautifully framed Christmas pictures, mostly of Santa, that are hanging throughout their home.
The Jonas’ enjoy puzzle making, particularly Christmas puzzles.
This year, they decided when putting them together that they were too picture perfect to take apart. So, they bought some puzzle glue and antique picture frames and decided to include them among their Christmas decorations.
Each puzzle takes more than 40 hours to put together.
They pull a card table into the living room and work on the puzzles for about three hours each day.
George and Marge began gluing the puzzles currently displayed in their home last Christmas, but did not decide to hang and frame some of their previous creations until this year.

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Tuesday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.

Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame welcomes 6 new members
Latest News, Main
June 20, 2026
Honored Friday night during the Mid Mon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame ceremony at St. Spyridon Hellenic Center in Monessen are, back row from left, Frank Bernadowski, Dion Jansante and Doug Dascenzo,...
West Mifflin School Board addresses projected deficit
Latest News, Main
By SARAH PELLIS spellis@yourmvi.com 
June 20, 2026
The budget proposal for 2026-27 contains a $2.8 million shortfall. After rejecting a proposed tax increase last month in its 2026-27 preliminary budget, West Mifflin Area school board still has decisi...
Slight tax hike included in Ringgold’s 2026-27 budget
Latest News, Main
By TAYLOR BROWN, Senior Reporter 
June 20, 2026
The new spending plan contains a $148K reduction in expenditures from the original document. The Ringgold School Board approved a $63 million budget Wednesday that includes a 0.4 mill property tax inc...
‘Don’t tell your mother:’ A life of love and adventures with my Dad
Features, Opinion
Father's Day Column
June 20, 2026
By TAYLOR BROWN Senior Staff Writer tbrown@yourmvi.com If my mother were still alive, she would probably ask why I thought publishing this column was a good idea. Then she would likely not speak to me...
Washington County Commissioners return funding to county food bank
Latest News, Main
June 20, 2026
It was redirected to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank during the pandemic. By the MVI Washington County commissioners voted Thursday to return Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture funding ...