Plum foundation honoring junior firefighter awards scholarship
A foundation created to remember a teen from Plum has awarded its first scholarship to a junior firefighter graduating from the borough’s school district. Jennifer Martinez created The Mark Matesic Memorial Foundation shortly after her 16-year-old son died by suicide in March 2022. Fascinated with trucks, especially firetrucks, since he...
Westmoreland happenings: Strawberry festival, shredding event, basket bazaar,
more
Fundraisers • The Braddock Trail Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution will sponsor a basket bazaar June 1 at Kecksburg Volunteer Fire Hall, 5128 Water St., Mt. Pleasant Township. Doors open at noon and ticket drawings will begin at 1:30 p.m. Children 16 and younger must be accompanied by...
The Stroller, May 19, 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. Free shredding event planned Thursday A free mobile shredding event will...
Highland Hose firefighters mark 50 years of service
Dave Torrence vividly remembers his first fire call in 1974 with the Highland Hose Volunteer Fire Company — it was the night he joined the Tarentum department. “I got in bed and the whistle blew,” said Torrence, 72, a lifelong borough resident. “I just thought, ‘Here we go.’ ” Fellow...
Allegheny Valley School District budget proposes 2.65% tax increase
Property owners in the Allegheny Valley School District could see a 2.65% tax increase next school year. District Finance Director Hamsini Rajgopal is proposing a $25.8 million budget for the 2024-25 school year. A property owner with a median assessed value of $85,900 would pay $1,837 annually in taxes, Rajgopal...
Highlands launches summer tech internship
The Highlands School District is offering a unique summer internship for students who want to test the tech waters. Students in grades 8 to 11 have an opportunity to shadow the district’s technology department during two separate sessions that last about 10 days each. Positions are unpaid but Superintendent Monique...
Nurses, administrators, advocates have varied opinions on new federal nursing home rule
When certified nursing assistant Helen Noel arrives for work each day at The Grove at Irwin nursing home, her attention is pulled in multiple directions. “When I go in, there might be four or five (patient) lights going off,” she said. “Who do I answer — your mother, your sister?...
Franklin Regional Intermediate School named among Discovery Education Schools of the Year
During the 2017-18 school year, Franklin Regional administrators and staff opted to partner with Discovery Education, which helps educators integrate modern technology into their lesson plans, and provides academic support through multimedia content and other classroom tools. During the same time period, district officials were working to put a Google...
Norwin grad combines career, travel, nomadic lifestyle
A North Huntingdon native has found that she can feel at home anywhere in the world, even when she’s thousands of miles away from the hills and rivers of Western Pennsylvania. Kayla Ihrig has used her husband’s native Netherlands as a base for the past five years while branching out...
‘Liability’ to ‘tremendous asset’: How Johnstown’s Stonycreek River has gone from toxic mine drainage to recreational hub
For Jason Albert, whitewater kayaking is a form of therapy. Albert, 38, of Oak Ridge, N.J., has been kayaking since 2017. This is his first season back on the water following a two-year recovery from a car accident that hurt his back. “There’s a lot of people that have come...
2 suffer minor injuries when Ligonier Valley bus hits car
Two girls sustained minor injuries Friday afternoon when a Ligonier Valley school bus collided with the rear of their car along Route 711 north of Ligonier, police said. None of the 26 students on the school bus were hurt as a result of the accident that occurred about 3:10 p.m....
Pittsburgh Zoo open as usual after tornado
The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium opened at its normal time of 9:30 a.m. Saturday with modified operations as crews continued to clear debris from Friday’s tornado. A statement issued by spokeswoman Alex Cauley said zoo officials had recommended arriving after 11 a.m. and noted there would be some temporary restrictions...
Alyssa Lyon champions environmental justice through community activism, education
Alyssa Lyon wants people to stay connected to the environment, each other and themselves. Growing up in the Bronx, Lyon considers herself a “stoop kid” — afternoons after school were often spent playing on the block, with the sounds of laughter and running children behind her. Now the director of...
Interest in policing rebounds, earns Burrell students spots in citizen police academy
Eyeing a career in criminal justice, Burrell High School student Mariah Kaiser wants to figure out why people commit crimes. “I’ve always been interested in law enforcement in general,” said Kaiser, 16. “I want to have a better understanding to why people do what they do.” Kaiser and eight other...
Franklin Regional proposes 3.5 mill tax hike for 2024-25 school year
Franklin Regional School Board members approved a proposed final budget for next school year that calls for a 3.5-mill property tax increase. The final vote on the $69 million budget will come at the board’s June 17 meeting. The spending plan comes with a roughly $643,000 deficit with just under...
Unity center begins second year training union apprentices for in-demand HVAC service work
The price is right for Dane Dyson. When the 22-year-old Yough Senior High graduate realized it would cost him $22,000 to attend a career school to learn the tricks of the plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning trades, he opted instead to join a local union apprentice program. Dyson...
The Stroller, May 18, 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. Safety town camp planned for children Mary, Queen of Apostles School,...
Meet the family behind Luke Bryan’s ‘Farm Tour’ concert in South HuntingdonVideo
When Joshua Cunningham found out his family’s South Huntingdon farm was in the running to host a concert by “American Idol” judge and country music star Luke Bryan, he asked Bryan’s producer about their honest chances. “He said, ‘I’ve been looking at it on Google Maps — you have a...
Norwin trails group seeks seeks regional committee
A Norwin area group that is promoting the creation of a network of hiking and biking trails in that area wants to form a regional transportation committee to work toward that goal. The nonprofit Friends of Norwin Trails has asked officials in Irwin, North Irwin and North Huntingdon to appoint...
‘She fought until the very last day’: Youngwood organ donor helps save 3 after overdose death
From the printer to the sweeper to the decorations on the wall, almost everything in Anna Vukovich’s Youngwood home reminds her of her daughter Jennifer. Jennifer’s comforter is still on the bed in her childhood bedroom, her purse still hangs on a hook on the wall. “Everytime I pull something...
Man dies in 2-vehicle crash in Shaler
A man died Friday evening in a two-vehicle crash in Shaler. Allegheny County Police said the crash occurred at about 7:40 p.m. in the 3100 block of William Flynn Highway. The victim was not immediately identified. He was traveling alone, as was driver of the other vehicle. That person was...
Woman with dementia reported missing from Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh police seek help finding a missing woman with dementia. Joan Blaney, 78, wandered from her residence along the 8400 block of Bricelyn Street on Friday, Public Safety spokeswoman Cara Cruz reported. She was spotted by staff at Second Chance at 8350 Frankstown Ave., walking inbound at about 12:40 p.m....
New Kensington police investigate phone store robbery
New Kensington police are searching for a man who is accused of robbing a business Friday evening. Westmoreland County Public Safety officials said officers were dispatched shortly after 7 p.m. to the AT&T store at 270 Tarentum Bridge Road. No injuries were reported. Officials said the suspect was described as...
Here’s what’s on tap for ‘Week of Kindness’ at Latrobe Art Center
Latrobe Art Center on Monday will kick off its fourth annual Fred Rogers-inspired Week of Kindness by hosting an informational gathering for educators and child caregivers. Held in partnership with the Fred Rogers Institute and WQED Education, Monday’s session, set for 4 to 6 p.m., is titled “Educator Playground: Being...
National Weather Service confirm 3 tornadoes in the region; researching another
The National Weather Service confirmed Saturday that an EF-0 tornado with winds of up to 70 mph struck the Harrison City area of Westmoreland County on Friday. Teams were out Saturday in the daylight to gather data and evaluate the damage at four suspected tornado sites, said NWS meteorologist Lee...
