Local category, Page 1374
Sweet corn, tomatoes are foundation for more diverse offerings from Western Pa. farmers
Hempfield farmer Neil Palmer says that for 50 years his operation has been focused on growing fresh produce, which is sold at his own farm market. “This year, we have a little more than 20 acres of fresh vegetables,” said Palmer, a fourth-generation farmer. “For the most part, it’s been...
Changing agricultural landscape leaves fewer farmers to work larger farms
When Ralph Myers, 85, looks at the farming operations around him, the difference is stark compared to three decades ago. “In 1995, there were about 195 dairy farmers in Armstrong County,” said Myers, a fourth-generation farmer from Gilpin and patriarch at Myers Pickle Farm, which dates to 1866. “Today, there...
Greensburg Salem to celebrate school spirit with bash at Offutt Field
The Greensburg Salem School District is inviting the community to celebrate local school pride at a Back to School Bash Wednesday at Greensburg’s Offutt Field. Admission is free for the event, which is slated for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Urania Avenue and Laird Street. It will take place...
The Stroller, Aug. 20, 2022: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least a week in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15068. Please include a daytime telephone number. Native tree, shrub sale continues through Aug. 31 The Penn State Extension...
Assistant taking over temporarily as Pittsburgh’s city clerk leaves; council hires new staff for budget office
Pittsburgh City Council officials last week announced that City Clerk Brenda Pree was departing from city council, Assistant Clerk Kim Clark-Baskin would serve as acting clerk and they had hired new leaders for the City Council Budget Office. Pree has accepted an offer to serve as the city clerk of...
Westmoreland Fair gets underway
The Westmoreland Fair opened Friday night and continues through next Saturday night. The $7 admission includes parking, amusement rides, admission to all commercial and agricultural exhibits, and judging exhibitions. Grandstand Arena events are extra. Children under 2 enter for free. Gates open every days at 10 a.m. Early Bird Admission,...
Low-interest loans available to Aug. 5 Western Pa. flood victims
Residents and business owners in nine Western Pennsylvania counties whose property was damaged by the Aug. 5 flood can apply for low-interest loans through the federal government, the state said Friday. Flood victims in Westmoreland, Fayette, Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Cambria counties are eligible for the loans...
Doug Mastriano, Florida’s Ron DeSantis focus on crime, pandemic closures at Pittsburgh rally
Over one thousand people attended a rally in Downtown Pittsburgh on Friday evening where Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized Democrats over rising crime rates and boasted about Republicans’ record for keeping schools open during the pandemic. DeSantis, who has been floated as a potential...
Police say Pittsburgh man was selling drugs out of New Kensington house, nearly 2 ounces of crack confiscated
A Pittsburgh man was arrested Friday morning on felony charges after a drug task force raided a house in New Kensington and found him in possession of close to 2 ounces of crack cocaine and other evidence of drug dealing, according to authorities. Jordan Edwin James, 30, of the 3400...
Westmoreland banks loan for East Huntingdon industrial park development
Financing for a $6.3 million project to develop nearly 79 acres at an East Huntingdon industrial park is finalized, Westmoreland County development officials announced this week. County commissioners, serving as members of the county’s Industrial Development Corp., approved an agreement for a $2.25 million low-interest loan through the Pennsylvania Industrial...
Police: Hostetter couple charged in ‘severe neglect’ case
Two people are set to be arraigned Monday after state police said two children were found to be suffering from severe neglect, with a 2-year-old girl unable to walk or stand on her own, according to court papers. Jordan S. Heidt, 27, and Heather M. Johnson, 31, both of Hostetter,...
Former Shondell Mike Vale’s Crystal Blue Band to hold final concert Saturday in Latrobe
Mike Vale can vividly recall the details of the night his life changed dramatically in January 1966. He and his band, The Raconteurs (not to be confused with the modern Jack White-affiliated band), were playing at the Thunderbird Lounge in Greensburg. “Who, of all people, walks into the Thunderbird Lounge...
New West Deer municipal complex could cost $11 million, but no tax hike vowed
The West Deer supervisors viewed plans for a new municipal complex this week — along with its $11 million price tag. Matthew Franz, a vice president for HHSDR Architects and Engineers, and HHSDR associate David Kent unveiled proposed artist renderings and a floor plan to the supervisors. The new complex,...
Armstrong County man faces drug charges after police pursuit in Springdale Township
An Armstrong County man faces felony drug charges after a state trooper said suspected fentanyl tablets fell out of his shorts during a traffic stop in July 2021. Braden Taylor Stevenson, 23, of the 100 block of Brady’s Bend Cemetery Road in Brady’s Bend Township, was charged with two felony...
Driver’s license scanners could help reduce problems on Pittsburgh’s South Side, DA says
Bars on Pittsburgh’s South Side could start checking patrons’ driver’s licenses — not just to make sure they’re old enough to drink, but also to see if they’ve caused problems at other bars in the neighborhood. In a meeting with South Side bar owners Tuesday, District Attorney Stephen Zappala said...
Undercover state trooper nabs New Jersey man with $50K worth of fentanyl in New Stanton
A New Jersey man is accused of exchanging $50,000 worth of suspected fentanyl for cash with an undercover state trooper Thursday in New Stanton, according to court papers. Police said Leonardo A. Ramirez, 45, of Passaic, parked in a lot on West Byers Avenue at 8 p.m. and met with...
Hempfield hires 3 part-time school officers
Three new school officers are joining the Hempfield Area School District this year. In all, 14 officers will serve at Hempfield schools, said Bob Reger, director of human resources. Members of the Hempfield Area School Board unanimously voted to hire the three new part-time officers during Monday’s meeting. According to...
New 5K grows into fitness festival in downtown New Kensington
An effort to organize a first-time 5K race in downtown New Kensington has grown into what promises to be a multifaceted fitness festival dedicated to health, nutrition and wellness. The NK 5K FitFEST will be Sept. 4. Cullen Maag, owner of BodyWork412 on Fifth Avenue, hopes the festival will educate,...
Gatto Harley-Davidson moving from Tarentum; watersports, bike sales will remain
A cycle shop that has grown to become a Tarentum institution since opening in 1964 will move part of its operations from the borough. Gatto Cycle Shop announced it will close its Harley-Davidson dealership along East Sixth Avenue. It will merge it with a shop along Glenn Avenue in Shaler,...
Convicted felon accused of trying to hide gun after Arnold cops were called to quell fight with neighbor
An Arnold man who is not allowed to have a firearm because of his criminal record was accused by police of trying to hide a handgun from officers responding to a call for a fight between him and a neighbor. Troy Lyn Jones, 48, of the 1600 block of Horne...
Westmoreland commissioners accept state grant to pay for elections
Elections office workers in Westmoreland County will have to begin counting mail-in ballots at 7 a.m. when polls open and continue working around the clock until the process is complete. It’s part of a pledge county commissioners made this week when they signed off on a deal to accept a...
Stargazers across Western Pennsylvania could catch glimpse of northern lights
The northern lights, an atmospheric phenomenon also known as the aurora borealis, could be visible tonight from Western Pennsylvania. “Currently, the sun is producing Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) during a geomagnetic storm on the sun. It looks like the CMEs continue to be active, thus I would expect you’d still...
Springdale Volunteer Fire Department provides headstones for 3 firefighters from early 1900s
For decades, members of the Springdale Volunteer Fire Department have placed flags on the graves of fallen firefighters for Memorial Day. In recent years, they noticed something. “There were a couple that didn’t have grave markers,” said Zachary Wilhelm, fire company chaplain. “We noticed that for a couple of years....
Marty Griffin moves to KDKA Morning Show
It didn’t take the powers that be at KDKA Radio long to find a replacement for Kevin Battle on the station’s morning show. Marty Griffin, a sharp-tongued talk show host and well-known investigative reporter for KDKA-TV, is being moved from his mid-morning slot to the new “Big K Morning Show,”...
Slide repair work to close part of Thompson Run Road in Penn Hills for 2 weeks
PennDOT is closing part of Thompson Run Road on the border of Penn Hills and Monroeville for two weeks to repair a slide. The road is scheduled to be closed between Old William Penn Highway and Frey Road beginning at 7 a.m. Monday, weather permitting, PennDOT announced Friday. Traffic will...
