Logan Hullinger stories
Building the Valley: Springdale restaurant owner aims to put an end to ‘food desert’
Springdale is a food desert no longer. At least that’s the goal for Jamar Sheffey, owner of Tastefully Blessed Kitchen & Smokehouse. With Springdale residents typically being left with nothing but chain restaurants, Sheffey expanded his catering company and opened a brick-and-mortar location in late November to combat the issue....
Installation of new fire hydrants in West Deer continues to be delayed
The installation of new fire hydrants in West Deer continues to be delayed, but township officials insist the holdup is not because of inaction on their part. Township Manager Daniel Mator said the township has budgeted $140,000 this year for 10 hydrants in the area as fire officials express concerns...
Coming soon to West Deer: Almost 170 new homes in 2 housing plans
A housing development in West Deer will proceed following approval of the plan of lots by township supervisors earlier this month. The Kingston Plan, formerly known as the Unionville Plan and located at 292 East Union Road, was approved by township supervisors Jan. 18. The subdivision calls for lots to...
Frazer parents say children’s walking route to school bus stop is dangerous
A road in Frazer has been deemed too dangerous for a school bus to drive on, yet the Deer Lakes School District considers it safe enough for an 8-year-old girl to walk nearly a mile to the bus stop along the same street. Dana Russell of Frazer said her 8-year-old...
Demolition of former Springdale power station expected to be completed in 2024
Demolition of the former Cheswick Generating Station in Springdale likely won’t be completed until March of next year. Although what will become of the property after the power plant demolition is still unknown, workers this week were using blowtorches to remove exterior panels. Removal of the metal cladding is part...
West Deer senior center resumes operations at temporary location
The West Deer Senior Citizens Center has reopened at a temporary location after a burst water pipe shuttered its operations last month. The center, which offers low-cost meals and other services to senior citizens, will continue its work indefinitely out of Our Lady of the Lakes Parish’s St. Victor Church...
Faces of the Valley: West Deer Scout boasts rare set of achievements
Fiona Lilly isn’t your average Girl Scout or Boy Scout: She’s both, and she has received the highest honors each organization offers. Lilly, an 18-year-old West Deer resident and student at Chatham University, earned the coveted Gold Award for her work in October on a mural for Girl Scout Troop...
West Deer man accused of stealing car, gun inside it
A man from West Deer’s Russellton neighborhood was arrested last week for allegedly stealing a car and attempting to take a gun that was inside it. Harmar police arrested Brad Stanek, 39, after being tipped off by a local business owner Jan. 4 that his girlfriend’s car was stolen. The...
Steelers’ Levi Wallace talks importance of air quality with Acmetonia Primary School students
School can sometimes be a drag, but an educational show featuring an NFL football player and a professional DJ made for a fun afternoon for Acmetonia Primary School students. Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Levi Wallace was welcomed with raucous cheers and applause Friday when he visited the Allegheny Valley district school...
West Deer readies to build new $10 million municipal building
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the project completion date. West Deer officials expect the construction of a new municipal building to begin this year and be completed in the fall of 2024. The project is expected to cost just under $10 million, according to township Manager...
Communities rally to raise funds for family of fallen Brackenridge police chief
Communities across the Alle-Kiski Valley are rallying to raise money for the family of slain Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire. Its potential for exploitation, however, as evidenced by a since-removed fraudulent GoFundMe page, has led Brackenridge officials to coordinate some of the outpouring of support. Here are some real donation...
Deer Lakes Middle School wins national award
Deer Lakes Middle School has been named one of the state’s “Schools to Watch,” which is a statewide recognition that is part of a larger national program. The school was one of three schools in the state to be recognized by the Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch Program...
GoFundMe page claiming to raise funds for family of slain Brackenridge police chief has been suspended
The owner of a GoFundMe page claiming to raise funds for slain Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire has no connection to his family and has been banned by the company, according to the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office. County sheriff’s office spokesperson Mike Manko issued an initial alert about the page...
Residents honor fallen Brackenridge police chief at processionVideo
Tarentum-area residents stood in the pouring rain Tuesday to pay tribute to a local police chief who had been killed the day before. Dozens of locals, from children to adults, lined the road near First United Presbyterian Church awaiting the procession of first responders honoring Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire....
Springdale approves budget with no tax hikes
Property taxes in Springdale will remain the same next year. The $2.8 million 2023 budget, adopted unanimously by council Tuesday, marks an increase of about 17% over the $2.4 million budget approved for 2022. However, $344,000 of that is set to be used for projects made possible through American Rescue...
Burrell educator might not be Pa.’s teacher of the year, but she’s still a local star
A Burrell School District geography teacher might have not won this year’s Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year award, but she’s still a proud educator who is held in high esteem by her colleagues. Ashlee Peters-Roberts, a teacher at Charles A. Huston Middle School, was named one of 12 finalists for...
No tax increase called for in East Deer’s 2023 budget
Not only will there be no tax increase in East Deer’s 2023 budget, but there will be a decrease in total expenditures. The proposed $1.3 million budget marks a 12.5% decrease from this year’s budget, largely because of grants being spent and the township joining the Allegheny Valley Regional Police...
Harmar won’t raise taxes for small spending increase in 2023 budget
Harmar will not raise taxes in 2023, and its expenditures include a minuscule increase over the current year’s, according to its budget to be voted on this week. The $3 million budget marks a 2.2% increase over this year’s $2.95 million , with little changes to how the township plans...
Respiratory virus surge impacting local schools
As respiratory viruses surge, schools and parents have differing opinions on how to handle sick students. With illness on the rise, particularly respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, some schools are sending students home on a daily basis — much to the frustration of some parents, nurses say. Meanwhile, as those...
‘Peace on Earth’ holiday concert returns to Tarentum church
Local musicians will bring some holiday cheer to Tarentum this month by putting on a concert as part of a series that is returning after shuttering in 2020. The “Peace on Earth” concert featuring vocalist Daphne Alderson and the St. Michael Chamber Band will take place Dec. 18 at Central...
Cheswick holds line on taxes in 2023 proposed budget
Cheswick residents shouldn’t expect any tax increases next year if the 2023 proposed budget is passed next week. The $2.4 million proposed budget marks about a 10% increase over this year’s $2.2 million budget, with most of the increases coming from infrastructure projects, said Lorraine Zebrine, borough secretary. However, no...
Medical examiner IDs missing Frazer woman
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner on Wednesday identified the remains of a woman found in a wooded area in Armstrong County as those of Darlene Harbison of Frazer. The identification comes after Allegheny County Police on Monday reported that a license plate number on a motorcycle that was found and...
No tax increase expected in Springdale Township’s 2023 budget
No tax increase is anticipated in Springdale Township’s 2023 budget despite an increase in expenditures. The roughly $1.2 million proposed budget, with taxes to remain at 6.5 mills, marks a 30.4% increase over the 2020 budget, which came in at $907,000. But that increase might seem misleading, as a large...
Frazer approves budget with 40% tax increase
Frazer property owners can expect a 40% tax hike next year after supervisors unanimously approved the 2023 township budget Tuesday. The $1.3 million budget calls for a property tax increase from 2.5 mills to 3.5 mills, which officials have said is necessary to bolster the police department and to cover...
Police: Remains of missing Frazer woman believed to be found in Armstrong County
The remains of a Frazer woman who went missing in September are believed to have been found, according to Allegheny County Police. Although a coroner has not formally identified the remains, a license plate number on a motorcycle that was found and reported by a hunter Monday on a hillside...
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