Allegheny Front: Ken Chiacchia Bio

Ken Chiacchia

Ken Chiacchia's bio reads like a random sampling of events from different people's lives. He has been a biochemist, a public relations writer, a freelance newspaper reporter, a science fiction author, an emergency responder, and a hobby farmer. As a volunteer dog handler and wilderness EMT with Allegheny Mountain Rescue Group of Pittsburgh, he's experienced much of the Allegheny Mountains and Plateau, in a boots-on-the-ground sense. Ken lives with his wife, dog trainer and writer Heather Houlahan, and an assorted cloud of canine partners and fosters, barn cats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, and goats, on a 26-acre farm in Harmony, Pa.

Stories by Ken Chiacchia:

Is it OK to Cave? - When temperatures flirt with triple digits and the sun beats down on us, it's hard to get excited about any outdoor activity. But the Allegheny region’s caves are always around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Lately, though, the fear of spreading white nose syndrome among bats has brought caving in the region to a near standstill. At the end of a year-long voluntary moratorium, some cavers are beginning to return to the caves--but many are not. Commentator and caver Ken Chiacchia discusses the tricky issues surrounding the question, "Is it OK to cave?" Aired week of 08/11/2010.

Commentary: The Kids Are All Right - There's ample reason to believe that today's kids aren't getting enough exposure to nature. But that generalization doesn't hold for all: Allegheny Front commentator and search-and-rescue responder Ken Chiacchia shares a story about a group of youngsters who are making a difference in the woods. Aired week of 07/07/2010.

A Guinea Hen's Heartbreak - Most of us are used to living within an extended, urban life-support system dedicated to keeping us safe. We try to bring it with us into the woods, in the form of GPS, mobile phones, and personal locator beacons. But as commentator, hobby farmer, and search-and-rescue responder Ken Chiacchia notes, a farm animal's little tragedy can pierce our assumption of safety, and force us to reflect on our real position in nature. Aired week of 06/09/2010.

Commentary: Writer Has Sympathy for Snakes - Poisonous snakes have a special and scary place in the human psyche. The active season for snakes in our region begins in spring and the closer we get to the hot summer months, the more likely we are to run into the critters. Although many people might think that the only good snake is a dead snake, environmental officials tell us that the animals are an important link in the ecosystem. Commentator and search-and-rescue responder Ken Chiacchia has spent a lot of time in the woods. He shares the perspective he's gotten about these misunderstood creatures. Aired week of 05/05/2010.

Commentary: Learning to Love The Brambles - When we think of spring flowers, we typically imagine the beautiful ones that are budding at this time of year. But in the woods, the thick and thorny brambles are rising from their winter rest, too. Commentator Ken Chiacchia doesn't mind the seemingly malicious plants. In fact, he kind of admires them. This is Ken Chiacchia's first commentary for The Allegheny Front. He's a writer and search and rescue volunteer living in Harmony, Pa. Aired week of 03/31/2010.

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