Madasyn Lee stories, Page 26

Police say a Vandergrift man told them he broke into a Frazer home on Wednesday and stole $4,000 worth of cash, jewelry and guns to “help a friend get money.” When officers found Kevin Paul Pierce, 29, he was in his truck looking through the jewelry he had taken, Frazer...

An Allderdice High School student is suspected of selling Rice Krispies Treats laced with marijuana, a district spokeswoman confirmed Thursday. Pittsburgh Public Schools spokeswoman Ebony Pugh said two students were involved in the alleged incident, but only one is suspected of selling the potentially tainted treats. The desserts were were...

A vehicle overturned on southbound Route 28 in Tarentum early Thursday, hampering the morning commute. The crash was reported about 5:20 a.m. at the Exit 14 on-ramp from Route 366 to southbound Route 28, PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan said. The vehicle ended up on its side. There were no immediate...

Four students in the Yough School District have been treated for possible impetigo since the beginning of the school year, Superintendent Janet Sardon said Tuesday. “The Yough School District takes the health and safety of our students as a top priority,” Sardon said in a statement. Impetigo is a common...

A 27-year-old man was shot and killed while walking home Monday night in Munhall, according to police. Munhall police and paramedics were called to the area of Maple Street and Ridge Way shortly before midnight. When officers arrived, they found a man who had been shot multiple times. He was...

An 18-year-old woman is accused of starting a fire in a Harrison holding cell Saturday after township police said they arrested her for trying to break into her mother’s apartment. Police said they received a report around 5:30 a.m. that Syariah Johnson was trying to break into her mother’s apartment...

A woman was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital with burns after a fire started in her Carnegie apartment early Monday, officials said. The fire was reported at 12:30 a.m. at the Honus Wagner Apartments on Third Avenue. People were evacuated from the building, and Port Authority buses were brought in...

State police in Greensburg seek information about a Hempfield break-in where someone made off with 75 items, including a hot water tank, black sword and lawnmower. The burglary was reported Aug. 24 at a home on the corner of Steel Avenue and Osage Street, troopers said. The alleged thief or...

A Butler County woman is accused of trying to hide a pill bottle containing suspected narcotics down her pants. Harrison police said they found the bottle on Crystal Rachele Pakutz, 26, after an officer pulled over a SUV she was in the parking lot of Bird Dog’s Sports Bar and...

A Cleveland man who prosecutors say burglarized a Jefferson County gun store in 2017 pleaded guilty to robbery and firearms charges in federal court this week. Rayshawn Patterson, 20, also admitted to two robberies that occurred in Clarion County and Cleveland, respectively, prosecutors said. U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said...

Single-lane restrictions will take place on Gulf Lab Road in Harmar through next week so crews can perform drilling operations for a future project, PennDOT said. The restrictions will be between Old Route 910 and William Pitt Way. They will take place weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They...

Police officer’s wife Felicia Junod knows just how much it means to her husband when someone shows appreciation for what he does or tells him “thank you.” That’s one of the reasons she decided to start a group that assembles and bring gifts to Alle-Kiski Valley police officers and state...

A Harrison police officer used his nose to thwart a potential drug deal Monday when he smelled what he suspected to be marijuana coming from a Tarentum man’s car. Police said they pulled over a car driven by Philip N. Narcisse, 44, on Garfield Street at about 8 p.m. A...

Editor’s note: Building the Valley tells stories of businesses big and small and the employees who make them special. If you know of any standout employees, bosses or companies with a great story to tell, contact reporter Madasyn Lee at mlee@tribweb.com. Babysitting cats and dogs isn’t all fun and games....

The Allegheny Valley Regional Police Department has been around for two months, and police Chief Mike Naviglia has no complaints so far. “It’s actually been going very well,” said Naviglia, 47. “We’ve been getting a lot of good compliments. (People) are seeing the police cars a lot more. The officers...

A fast moving fire at a Freeport home late Thursday damaged it beyond repair, the borough’s fire chief said Friday. Tom Sweeny Jr., chief 1 of the Freeport Volunteer Fire Department, said the 2-story house at 214 2nd St. is a total loss. “The fire vented itself through the roof,...

Years ago, the Valley News Dispatch would print photos of people holding the newspaper while they were on vacation. It’s still doing that today. At least in one family’s case. Cristine Kostiuk, 60, of Kiski Township said her family thought it would be fun to re-create a photo taken 16...

The Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team this week lent a helping hand to 20 dogs rescued from Hurricane Dorian when it struck the Bahamas. The team flew the pups from Florida to New York. They were among the 97 that Chella Phillips, a Nassau-based animal welfare advocate, saved during the...

An Armstrong County man suspected of driving under the influence Wednesday in New Kensington told police he tried to run away because he was wanted on a warrant, but was “too fat” to get away. Now, Danial James Hilton Dopson, 31, of Cadogan, faces charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest,...

An Arnold man is accused of beating a woman so severely Sunday she left a puddle of blood on a sidewalk, according to police. Arnold police said they responded to a reported domestic dispute in the 2200 block of Leishman Avenue at about 7:20 p.m. A caller told police she...

Seven people, including a man who claimed to be a Pittsburgh police officer, are facing charges in connection with what Harmar police described as drunken fights at a Harmar hotel over the weekend. Harmar police said they were called Sunday to the Days Inn about a large fight in the...