Niche rankings place North Allegheny School District 2nd in state
North Allegheny once again secures its spot as the second-best school district in Pennsylvania out of 496 districts, following Radnor Township in Delaware County, according to the Niche ratings published Sept. 30. The ratings moved North Allegheny up three spots, to 24, from last year’s rank of No. 27 among...
Students feel safe at North Allegheny, per survey
Parents and students strongly agree that North Allegheny feels safe and secure, according to a school district survey conducted in May. All parents in the district and students in fifth, eighth, 10th and 12th grades were queried on school-related topics, and Superintendent Brendan Hyland provided the results to the school...
‘This is a lot worse’: Red Cross volunteers bring experience to help Helene victims
Dennis Bayne and Paul Stillitano have no idea what they’ll be getting into for the next two weeks. The American Red Cross volunteers deployed Thursday morning in an emergency response vehicle from Pittsburgh, headed to North Carolina to help the victims of Hurricane Helene. They won’t know their specific assignments...
Willie Thrower Heart Walk aims to bring awareness of heart disease in New Kensington
Melvyn Smith and Willie Thrower grew up together in New Kensington and used to attend Steelers games together. Now, as one of the founders of the Willie Thrower Heart Walk, Smith is honoring the football legend’s life and legacy. “We wanted to enhance awareness of heart health and acknowledge the...
Unity family’s organic dairy farm earns annual honor from conservation district
Todd Frescura has established a clear path for his cows to move through mud-prone areas of his family’s organic dairy farm in Unity. The cattle walkways help keep dirt out of the farm’s milking parlor and out of a stream on the 100-acre spread that is part of the Sewickley...
Hempfield, Greensburg fire prevention event aims to combine education, entertainment, recruitment
The Hempfield and Greensburg volunteer fire departments will display fire apparatus, talk to area residents about fire safety and recruit new members next week at the 28th annual Fire Prevention Night. The nearly 30-year tradition, held outside of the Westmoreland Mall in Hempfield, is meant to inform the community about...
Podcast: Urban farms are sprouting in Pittsburgh’s food deserts
Urban farms are emerging across the country. “There’s been a food revolution going on for quite a while,” says Mchezaji “Che” Axum, director of the Center for Urban Agriculture and Gardening Education at the University of the District of Columbia. Interest in growing local food has surged over the past...
Morning Roundup: School bus fire in Pittsburgh; men accused of breaking into unlocked cars in Carnegie
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, Oct. 3: Fire engulfs school bus in East Hills Just after 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, a school bus in the East Hills neighborhood broke out into flames near Sunrise Avenue and Fairlawn Street, said Pittsburgh Public Safety. The driver,...
The Stroller, Oct. 3, 2024: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Follow the Stroller on X at @VNDStroller. New diaper pantry available...
Allegheny County Executive backs Jewish students at Pitt in wake of recent antisemitic incidents
Allegheny County’s top elected official on Wednesday told Jewish students rattled by a recent spate of antisemitic acts at and near University of Pittsburgh’s campus that she will work to ensure they feel safe in Oakland. County Executive Sara Innamorato met for 45 minutes with Jewish community leaders and interacted...
Firefighters begin bringing equipment, gear donations to New Kensington to be driven to North Carolina
When firefighters need help, they turn to what they call “mutual aid” from nearby surrounding communities. The reach of that mutual aid is expanding on a national scale, as fire departments from Western Pennsylvania and beyond are rallying to support their counterparts in flood-ravaged North Carolina. Crews from Kittanning, Buffalo...
Butler-area residents split on Trump’s return for rally at farm show grounds
Jennifer Stys is ready to rally for former President Donald Trump. Stys, 53, of Butler, has a ticket to Saturday’s campaign event at the Butler Farm Show grounds in Butler Township. On July 13, it was the site of an assassination attempt on the Republican presidential nominee. Stys was not...
Penn-Trafford area: Mad Science Spooktacular, crocheting and more
Mad Science Spooktacular The Penn-Trafford Area Recreation Commission will host a Mad Science Spooktacular program from 6 to
7:30 p.m. Oct. 4. The event, open to children ages 5 to 12, will apply science to a Halloween-themed story about Count Eggbert — a vampire who struggles to fit into his...
Sharpsburg to create borough Facebook page to bolster official communication
Sharpsburg officials plan to launch a new borough social media page to better communicate with the public. Council wants to create what members referred to as a digital billboard via Facebook. Its development is in the very early stages. Among the things being mulled over were posting certain things on...
What to know about the latest round of free covid-19 tests
A new round of free at-home covid-19 tests officially began shipping this week. Each household can request four free tests via mail through covidtests.gov, the Biden administration announced, according to the Washington Post. The free tests will detect current virus strains, according to the Associated Press. The revival of the...
Norwin failed to eliminate ‘racially hostile environment,’ Department of Education says
The Norwin School District violated federal civil rights laws when it allowed what the U.S. Department of Education called repeated, racially harassing conduct over 10 months in 2021. The district agreed to a seven-point plan to ensure it complies with the law. “The Norwin School District has now committed to...
New Kensington man convicted of kidnapping, robbery
A Westmoreland County jury on Wednesday convicted of a New Kensington man of holding an Ohio woman captive at his home following their third in-person date nearly three years ago. Following about two hours of deliberations, the jury found Steven Daniel Best Jr., 41, guilty of felony counts of kidnapping...
DA’s office probes missing money from McKeesport police evidence room
Detectives from the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office are investigating allegations of missing money from the McKeesport Police Department evidence room. Mayor Michael Cherepko and District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr.’s office Wednesday confirmed the probe. “The circumstances in question pertain to an ongoing investigation and potential personnel matters, which...
Long-awaited infrastructure work funded, set to begin next year in Jeannette
Infrastructure improvements are crucial for rural communities like Jeannette, whose glass-making history is woven into American heritage, U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small said Wednesday. “In order for towns to continue thrive, investment is important with infrastructure,” she said. Two low-interest 40-year loans from the USDA to...
New Kensington-Arnold increases police presence at high school, homecoming events
There was an increased police presence planned at Valley High School when students returned Thursday after the New Kensington school was closed following a shooting in the city involving high school-age juveniles. In a letter to families, New Kensington-Arnold Superintendent Chris Sefcheck said he decided to close the high school...
2nd caretaker charged with neglect at Verona facility
For the second time in as as many weeks, Verona police charged a caretaker at the same assisted living facility with neglecting the care of a client. “It’s unnerving,” Officer Thomas Dessell said of the most recent charges. Myesha Pennix, 25, of Pittsburgh, was accused Sept. 26 of ignoring the...
McDonald’s fundraiser to benefit 131 schools in tri-state area
Local schools across Western Pennsylvania will benefit from a McDonald’s restaurant fundraiser next week. From open to close on Wednesday, Oct. 9, dubbed Arch Support Digital Fundraiser Day, schools will earn 20% of all sales purchased through the McDonald’s app at their partner restaurant. Across the tri-state area, 131 schools...
3 charged in bail scam that targeted North Huntingdon couple, Pittsburgh woman
Three men from New York City are accused of tricking a Pittsburgh woman out of $20,000 and trying to get $18,000 from a North Huntingdon couple through a bail scam, according to court papers. Township police this week charged Alfonso J. Camareno, 36, of Flushing; Jason Alvarez, 31, of Queens;...
New apartment complex in Uptown to aid homeless
Pittsburgh-based nonprofit Bethlehem Haven on Wednesday broke ground on an Uptown site that will provide affordable housing to the homeless. Dubbed Uptown Flats, the four-story building will include 34 apartments, various services to support residents and administrative offices for Bethlehem Haven, which offers housing and other support to homeless people....
Blairsville women charged in feline neglect case involving 87 sickened, 13 dead cats in Derry Township
Two women who authorities say are responsible for 87 sick cats at a Derry Township mobile home were arraigned Wednesday on dozens of animal cruelty charges. The abuse caused the deaths of 13 cats, according to investigators. Pamela Curry, 63, and Kimberly Rose, 44, both of Blairsville, are charged with...
