Kellen Stepler stories, Page 34
Faces of the Valley: Volunteering and firefighting is family affair for Lower Burrell woman
Nicole Hereda’s family quite literally is immersed in the Kinloch Volunteer Fire Department in Lower Burrell. Hereda, 39, of Lower Burrell is a safety officer and fundraising chair at the station, located off New York Avenue in the city. Her husband, Ted, is chief, and their sons, T.J. and Josh,...
Pittsburgh police: 1 dead, 2 seriously hurt in shooting near The Bluff and Crawford-Roberts neighborhoods
Pittsburgh police are looking for a suspect who shot three people Saturday night along the Crawford-Roberts and Bluff neighborhood border, killing one person and seriously injuring two others. Police said officers and an ambulance crew were sent to the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Marion Street just before 8 p.m....
Pittsburgh man arrested in connection with attack on Jewish Pitt students
Two Jewish students who attend the University of Pittsburgh were attacked Friday night in what authorities are investigating as a possible hate crime. Jarrett Buba, 52, of Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood is charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault and two misdemeanor counts of simple assault and reckless endangerment. He...
State police say 2 jailed after stealing car, leading troopers on wild cross-county pursuit
State troopers Saturday arrested a man and a woman accused of stealing a car at an Indiana County Walmart, leading troopers on a cross-county pursuit that required numerous attempts to immobilize the vehicle. At 5:44 p.m. Friday, troopers were called to investigate a reported stolen vehicle at the Walmart at...
Allegheny Valley Hospital union paves way for strike; AHN confident agreement can be reached
Allegheny Valley Hospital union members have authorized a strike, becoming the second Allegheny Health Network hospital to announce a potential work stoppage in as many weeks. The union, represented by SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Healthcare PA, voted 99% in favor Friday of authorizing its negotiating committee to send a...
Rain doesn’t damper kids’ enjoyment at Alle-Kiski Inclusion Games
Storms called off Saturday’s Alle-Kiski Inclusion Games earlier than anticipated, but 16-year-old Logan Sanchez didn’t seem to mind the rain. “I like all of it,” said Sanchez, a student at Burrell High School. “I like hanging out with friends, even in the rain.” The third-annual Inclusion Games was held Saturday...
Underwater drone to assist crews in the Allegheny Valley during river emergencies
Emergency response crews in the Allegheny Valley have a new tool to scout the water during river incidents. An underwater drone will assist crews in the Allegheny Valley Regional Emergency Management Agency, said Bruno Moretti, agency coordinator. “It’s interesting,” Moretti said. “It’s a nice piece of equipment to have. It...
Lower Burrell unveils pickleball courts at Veterans Central Park
Lower Burrell has caught the pickleball bug. Officials unveiled six new pickleball courts Wednesday at the old tennis courts of Veterans Central Park near City Hall. “For all ages, this is great — even from kids 5 to 95,” said Councilman Mike Stanoski, who oversees the city’s parks department. “This...
Playhouse unveiled at Sharpsburg’s 16th Street Park
Children in Sharpsburg have a new spot in 16th Street Park to let their imaginations soar. Borough officials held a ceremony Aug. 22 to dedicate a playhouse. Other amenities at the park include a pavilion with picnic tables, water sprinklers, playground equipment, a swing set, basketball court and benches. The...
Allegheny Valley Regional Police, Frazer in talks for possible merger
The Allegheny Valley Regional Police Department could have a fourth member if talks between its board and Frazer officials work out. Frazer Secretary/Treasurer Lori Ziencik said her township was approached by the police commission, which serves East Deer, Cheswick and Springdale Township, to consider joining the regional department. “We have...
Demolition of trestle bridge in Springdale on hold
How a trestle bridge over Pittsburgh Street in Springdale, near the former power plant, will be demolished now is uncertain. Borough officials originally scheduled a town hall meeting for next week to discuss the structure’s demolition, but that was canceled, leaving unknown exactly how or when the iconic trestle will...
Pittsburgh Brewing making traffic adjustments for Cole Swindell concert
Traffic headaches from a recent car cruise at Pittsburgh Brewing in East Deer have officials there making adjustments for the facility’s biggest concert of the summer. The brewery on Sunday night will host country music artist Cole Swindell — the headliner of the venue’s inaugural concert series. The event comes...
New Springdale parking regulations focus on supporting borough businesses
Watch where you park in Springdale, especially if you’re a renter. The borough has outlined new rules regulating parking in the town. “We have a pretty wide parking ordinance in our codified ordinances,” Solicitor Craig Alexander said. He said council wanted to amend that to include additional “no-parking” streets, to...
Curb appeal: Springdale businesswoman pitches idea to clean up Pittsburgh Street
Kathy Crissman was appalled at what she saw as she strolled Springdale’s Pittsburgh Street during the borough’s community day in early July. “This place is dirty,” she said of the borough’s main business artery. “It has so much trash and dirt on the street.” The top issues, Crissman said, include...
Firm pitches funding ideas for Springdale Township
Springdale Township may tap a Pittsburgh-based government consulting group in its battle to obtain grant funding — an issue township officials say has been unsuccessful for years. The commissioners Thursday learned about the proposal from Nick Bonesso, president of Avanti Consulting Group. Bonesso said Avanti works with many townships in...
‘Up close and personal,’ officials paddle for the future of the Allegheny River
Advocates of the Allegheny River hope getting state and federal officials into the water will emphasize the need for more attention and funding for recreation and commercial use on the waterway. Local, state and federal officials paddled kayaks Friday morning from the Springdale to Harmar marinas, through Lock 3 on...
Housing Authority police chief to lead statewide association, tackle issues of recruitment, pay, regionalization and more
Mike Vogel prides himself on learning from others. Now Vogel, Allegheny County Housing Authority police chief since 1998, will be doing that on a statewide scale. Vogel, 57, of Bethel Park, was installed as president of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association in July. His tenure begins during a time...
West Deer to weigh future of old municipal building; new complex coming in under budget, ahead of schedule
West Deer is seeking bids to demolish its municipal building, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the building’s fate. Although the township posted documents to secure bids for demolition and asbestos abatement for the municipal building at 109 E. Union Road, manager Dan Mator said the measures are preliminary. “In...
11-year-old killed in Natrona crash ‘brought people together’
Tony Cszimadia takes it a little bit at a time when he visits the growing makeshift memorial for his daughter, Roxanne Alexis Bonnoni, on North Canal Street in Harrison. “She went through life a very caring person,” Cszimadia said of 11-year-old Roxanne, who died Tuesday evening when she was struck...
Springdale approves ordinance against squatting
Rules to deter squatters are officially on the books in Springdale. Council on Tuesday approved an ordinance against squatting — a situation where people take over an often-vacant structure or property without permission to be there. Council President Mike Ziencik referenced nearby communities that have had issues with squatters when...
Burrell Lake Park effort ‘the perfect project at the perfect time’
Cash Wyble just felt concertgoers should have a place to sit when enjoying a show at Burrell Lake Park in Lower Burrell. Wyble, 18, of Upper Burrell recently assembled and installed benches in front of the concert venue at the park. “I wanted to do it,” Wyble said. “There were...
Plans for Lower Burrell Tractor Supply store advance
Plans for a Tractor Supply store in Lower Burrell took a step forward. The city’s planning commission approved a subdivision for a Tractor Supply to be located off Greensburg Road, in the Kinloch section of Lower Burrell. The location, 108 Greensburg Road, is a vacant, wooded lot next to a...
Springdale police officer, 2 firefighters recognized for efforts during hostile arrest
Two Springdale volunteer firefighters and a borough police sergeant were honored this week for their efforts during an arrest in the spring that quickly became dangerous, according to officials. Volunteer firefighters Dan Copeland and Joseph Stanga and police Sgt. Fred Hockenberry were recognized by Mayor Joel Anderson during Springdale’s council...
Mounted horse unit visits Harrison’s Sheldon Park
Children in Harrison’s Sheldon Park community got a visit from a four-legged friend on Wednesday. Officers with the Allegheny County Police Department brought Milo, a horse in its mounted unit, to the Booker Center at Sheldon Park. About 20 children and their families had the opportunity to feed Milo a...
Springdale outlines short-term rental rules
People wanting to operate short-term rentals in Springdale will have to abide by rules set by council Tuesday night. “We haven’t had any type of ordinance set in place for these types of properties,” Councilman Dan Copeland said. “It’s going to give us some type of insight as to what’s...
