Local category, Page 2599
Woman accused of selling heroin, cocaine out of New Stanton apartment
Complaints from neighbors about persistent foot traffic to and from a New Stanton apartment resulted in the arrest Wednesday of a 22-year-old woman on drugcharges, state police said. Olivia J. Vandyke of Jeannette was arraigned before East Huntingdon District Judge Charles Moore on charges of manufacturing, delivery and possession of...
Youngwood braces for ‘traffic nightmare’ with water, sewer line replacement projectVideo
Youngwood residents soon will live the highway construction mantra of “temporary inconvenience, permanent improvement.” All four lanes of Route 119 will be torn apart to install new water and sewer lines, followed by PennDOT’s reconstruction of the borough’s main north-south thoroughfare. “It’s going to be a traffic nightmare for two...
Derry awaits new police dog, training to continue program
A four-footed crime-fighter should once again be patrolling the streets of Derry, if all goes as planned. Derry Police Chief Randy Glick is hoping to drive to Washington, D.C., next week and return with his newest police dog partner — a 9-month-old Malinois pup that is to be flown in...
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner takes plea deal in Detroit case
Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner on Thursday pleaded no contest to disturbing the peace during a confrontation last year with police in a Detroit hotel. In a plea agreement, Wagner had a felony count of obstruction reduced to disturbing the peace. She then pleaded no contest to that lesser charge...
Armstrong County 911 centers back in service
Armstrong County 911 call centers are back online, after being down for about two hours Thursday. The call centers were not available to take any calls from around noon to 2 p.m., a county dispatcher said. A dispatcher wasn’t able to identify the cause of the problem, but said it...
Uniontown man claims Penn State discriminated against his colorblindness
A Uniontown man’s lawsuit alleging Penn State University discriminated against him because he is colorblind will be allowed to move forward, a federal judge ruled. Danny David, 48, sued the university late last year, claiming the school unjustly rescinded a job offer with the university police after discovering David is...
Pittsburgh-based Snapology makes STEAM-based learning fun for kids
Laura and Lisa Coe are building an educational empire brick by brick. In 2010, the sisters launched Snapology, a creative play program that engages children ages 1 to 14 using Legos, K’Nex and iPads. The intention is to learn about Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) in a playful...
Pizza Hut is latest chain restaurant to close in Hempfield
Another chain restaurant has shuttered in Hempfield. Pizza Hut, located along Route 30 near Westmoreland Mall, officially closed Monday, according to a sign posted on the door. “We want to thank all of our loyal customers,” the sign reads, in part. It also encourages people to visit other area Pizza...
Arnold man pleads guilty to fentanyl distribution, overdose death, faces lengthy federal sentence
An Arnold man pleaded guilty in federal court this week to distributing the fentanyl that caused the death of a Westmoreland County man, according to court filings. Jarrel Williams, 32, accepted responsibility during a Tuesday plea hearing for the Jan. 17, 2017, death of a 33-year-old man who federal prosecutors...
2 Western Pa. communities named safest places to live in Pennsylvania
Two Western Pennsylvania communities — one in Westmoreland County and the other in Allegheny — are the safest communities in the state, according to a recent study conducted by a home security trade group. The National Council for Home Security and Safety ranked Penn Township in Westmoreland County as the...
Disease warriors tasked to fight misinformation about Covid-19
A global storm of online posts about the Covid-19 virus prompted public health experts to fight a war on two fronts — one against the respiratory virus that surfaced in Wuhan, China, late last year, and a second one against a sea of misinformation about it. Officials from the World...
Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation Night of Assists sparkles with disco themeVideo
Instead of Saturday Night Fever, it was Wednesday Night Fever at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation hosted its third annual “Night of Assists” on Wednesday. This year’s theme? “The Pens Disco.” Presented by Highmark, the arena was transformed to the 1970s, complete with disco balls and...
The Stroller, Feb. 13, 2020: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
The Stroller is your go-to place for local charitable events and volunteer opportunities. Information for The Stroller may be dropped off or mailed at least a week in advance to: The Stroller, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084, email vndnews@tribweb.com or fax 724-226-4677. Building Block of Natrona...
Police: Accused heroin dealer scuffles with Pittsburgh cops trying to arrest him
Two plainclothes Pittsburgh police officers said they got into a scuffle with a man during an arrest attempt in Homewood on Wednesday. The officers say they spotted Kelly Parker, 35, of Penn Hills selling drugs at about 3 p.m. in the 7200 block of Frankstown Avenue. They approached him to...
Wright’s running streak comes to an end surrounded by Baldwin championsVideo
For 29 straight years, Rich Wright kept running — 55,901 miles, 10,736 days. The minimum? One mile a day. But often he did far more. It didn’t matter if he was laying in the hospital or headed on vacation, he still found a way to get a run in every...
Stage crew: Unsung heroes of the high school musicalVideo
If Franklin Regional sophomore Jess Wingard never has to build another staircase, it will be too soon. “That’s the biggest challenge,” said Wingard, 15, a member of the stage crew for FR’s spring production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” “You have to cut some things bigger than they...
Greensburg Salem School Board begins search for new member
The Greensburg Salem School Board formally accepted the resignation of former member Rachel Shaw and began the search for a new member Wednesday. Rachel Shaw announced her resignation last month. The board has one month to appoint a replacement. The board will hold a special meeting to appoint the new...
Chartiers Valley names first-ever student of the month
Chartiers Valley High School is recognizing students that exemplify positive character traits in and out of the classroom. In January, the school named its first ever Student of the Month, senior Sarah Verduci, who stood out to teachers. “One of the reasons given for Sarah to be our first Student...
Authorities: Man driving drunk with toddler in car hit Pittsburgh police cruiser, other cars
A 43-year-old Sheraden man appeared drunk and was driving with a child in his SUV when he was stopped by police after a chase Wednesday evening through several East End neighborhoods, according to police. The girl wasn’t secured in a car seat, police said. She was evaluated at UPMC Children’s...
Pennsylvania Solar Congress comes to Indiana County
Nonprofit group Solar United Neighbors will host the second annual Pennsylvania Solar Congress on Saturday at the Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort and Conference Center in Blairsville. The statewide conference attracts solar owners, supporters, and advocates, according to a press release issued by the group. The day will include a series...
Westmoreland Bar Association to move in Greensburg, starts $900,000 renovationVideo
A new, larger and more functional headquarters for the Westmoreland Bar Association is expected to be operational this summer, officials said. Members and staff gathered Wednesday in downtown Greensburg to celebrate the lawyer organization’s $900,000 construction project to renovate a vacant building at the corner of Maple and Otterman streets...
Police: Car picked up at Lower Burrell garage catches fire in Tarentum
A man’s car caught fire Wednesday night in Tarentum less than a half hour after he picked it up from a Lower Burrell repair shop, Tarentum police said. Officers responded to a car fire at Nick Chevrolet along West Seventh Avenue around 6:50 p.m. The man had pulled into the...
CDC to send University of Pittsburgh coronavirus samples for vaccine research
A University of Pittsburgh laboratory soon will tackle researching a possible vaccine against COVID-19 — the newly named disease caused by the coronavirus outbreak that surfaced in Wuhan, China, late last year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the University of Pittsburgh’s requests to be among U.S. academic...
Westmoreland takes over small Fayette sewage system
Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County board members on Wednesday approved taking over a small Fayette County sewer system, the first new acquisition the agency has finalized in more than a year. The deal will transfer the 574 customers of the Upper Tyrone Township Sewage Authority to the county utility and...
Pittsburgh councilmen seek CMU funding, assistance to break down racial barriers
Two Pittsburgh City Council members reached out to Carnegie Mellon University on Wednesday seeking financial and staff contributions for their efforts to combat racism in the city. R. Daniel Lavelle and Ricky Burgess, council’s two black representatives, asked for money along with faculty, staff and student participation in the city’s...
