Valley News Dispatch category
Military flyover scheduled in Brackenridge for Memorial Day as part of larger remembrance event
A military flyover will be part of the Memorial Day services Monday at the Brackenridge American Legion Post 226. Commander David Mainhart said members will raise the American flag at noon in front of the post at 845 First Ave. Attendees can gather for a ceremony afterward at the monument...
Wildlife Lodge Road bridge in Lower Burrell now has weight limits
New weight limits on the Wildlife Lodge Road bridge in Lower Burrell will force heavier vehicles to find alternate routes. PennDOT announced that single vehicles heavier than 25 tons, and 30 tons for trucks pulling trailers — with the exception of emergency vehicles — are prohibited. The guideline was put...
Leechburg Area Pool postpones opening
Fun in the sun will have to wait at Leechburg Area Pool. Officials announced on social media that opening day is postponed one week to May 30. “Mother Nature isn’t cooperating this weekend,” the post said. Temperatures onSaturday were expected to barely climb into the 60s after a morning of...
Bill to eliminate auto emission tests draws mixed reactions, hope for comprehensive reform
Millions of Pennsylvania drivers could catch a break on their annual vehicle inspections if a bill winding its way through the state Legislature becomes law — but don’t hold your breath. Senate Bill 1298, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Langerholc, R-Cambria, calls for the removal of all 25 counties, including Allegheny...
New Kensington veteran has kept Memorial Park in bloom for more than 2 decades
While many see Memorial Day weekend as a time for tending to the graves of service members, one veteran can be found tending to a different kind of plot. For more than 20 years, retired Army veteran Jeanne Smith, 75, has tended the gardens at New Kensington’s Memorial Park —...
Dozens turn out to dress Prospect Cemetery in Brackenridge for Memorial Day
Soldiers who fought for America’s freedoms likely faced harsher conditions than heavy rain and blustery winds. That was the thought of David Mainhart, commander of the Brackenridge American Legion Post 226, who braved the weather Saturday to trudge through Prospect Cemetery and help erect more than 950 flags on the...
Sweeping improvements expected for PRT bus routes in Tarentum, Harrison, Brackenridge and New Kensington
Brackenridge resident Eric Hohman said trips to the grocery store won’t feel like a time crunch if proposed changes for Pittsburgh Regional Transit are approved in the Alle-Kiski Valley and beyond. “As it is now, I have to get up to Walmart during the week because that’s when the buses...
7 ‘unsafe’ buildings coming down in Harrison, more to follow
Work is underway to take down the first of 26 deteriorated or dangerous buildings in Harrison. Middlefield Demolition is razing homes in the Natrona neighborhood, with the first ones coming down along Pine and Walnut streets. Commissioners last month approved the contract of just under $123,000 for seven buildings to...
Pittsburgh Brewing Co. to host 2nd annual Rockin’ Regatta
Water, sun and competition are coming to Pittsburgh Brewing Co. during the second annual Iron City Rockin’ Regatta. On June 6 and 7 the East Deer brewery in partnership with Three Rivers Outboard Racing Association will transform the brewery campus into a river racing spot for some of the region’s...
Harmar man guilty of forging signatures to get congressional hopeful on 2022 ballot
A jury on Friday found a longtime political volunteer guilty of forging signatures in a bid to help a Democratic congressional hopeful get on the ballot in 2022. Kirk Rice, 66, of Harmar was convicted of 38 criminal counts, including 14 counts of forgery and multiple counts of identity theft,...
Protesters call for state gift ban and end to Pittsburgh rodeo at Sen. Joe Pittman’s New Kensington office
In Pennsylvania, legislative officials are allowed to accept gifts from lobbyists so long as they disclose amounts greater than $250 and any travel, meals or lodging over $650 to the state Ethics Commission. Sally Simpson, a member of March On Harrisburg, which has advocated for a gift ban for the...
New Kensington shelter dogs benefit from increased volunteerism — in part, thanks to MiaVideo
A year after New Kensington’s Animal Protectors of the Allegheny Valley adopted out a shelter dog named Mia, who went viral online for her three-year stay there, the organization has seen a residual boost in volunteerism. Animal Protectors took to social media with Mia’s story, and it caught widespread attention....
Neighboring Springdale churches now both for sale
Two churches along Springdale’s Pittsburgh Street — one Catholic, the other Methodist — are now up for sale after extended vacancies. St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church closed in 2022, while Springdale United Methodist Church shuttered last June. The two former houses of worship sit opposite each other in the heart...
Brackenridge water tap-in fees see steep increase
Water tap-in fees are set to skyrocket in Brackenridge, even though there’s typically little to no new construction in the borough. The move is meant to replace an outdated rate structure and stop the borough from losing money, officials said. New residential tap-in fees will quadruple, from $500 to $2,000....
Jury begins deliberations in forged-signature trial tied to 2022 congressional race
The attorney for a Harmar man accused of forging signatures on a politician’s election form said in closing arguments Thursday that the case came down to one point: prosecutors did not present enough evidence to convict. Jurors who will decide the fate of Kirk Rice resume deliberations in the trial...
Westmoreland County water authority drops fees, offers free lead pipe replacementsVideo
Hoping that a price tag of zero will entice reluctant property owners, the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County on Thursday dropped plans to charge residents to replace lead water lines and will instead offer the service for free. Just months after launching a program that could have cost homeowners and...
The Stroller, May 23, 2026: 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. Descendents of Massy Harbison...
The Stroller, May 22, 2026: 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. Golf outing to raise...
Faces of the Valley: New Ken-Arnold wrestling coach builds offseason club for young athletes
Dane Johnson started wrestling when he was 4, but without years of training and development, his passion wouldn’t have led him to where he is today: the boys varsity wrestling coach at Valley High School. Now, his mission is to give kids the opportunity to train year-round for wrestling. Johnson,...
Closed-door hearing for Niki’s Quick Six ends in mysterious ‘resolution’
The mystery of a sealed injunction against an Armstrong County bar persists. A hearing scheduled to discuss the injunction against Niki’s Quick Six, the Parks Township bar where a woman was shot and killed last month, took place out of the public eye Wednesday afternoon. Bar owner Niki Hosack; her...
Late-season freeze puts chill on fruit harvests across the region
Those looking forward to the annual ritual of picking fruits and berries are likely to be disappointed this year. Blame Mother Nature. A late-April frost wreaked havoc with crops, killing many of the buds that would have produced fruit. Perennial crops such as apples, pears, peaches, strawberries and cherries bloom...
Trial postponed again in pet cremation scandal
A court date has been postponed for the second time in the case of a funeral home director accused of scamming pet owners by taking money for cremation and instead disposing of the animals in landfills. Patrick Vereb, 71, of Hazelwood, now is scheduled for trial Oct. 19 before Judge...
The Stroller, May 21, 2026: 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. Revolutionary War gear to...
Petal to the metal: Shaler artist sculpting pollinator piece for Sharpsburg Community Garden
Sharpsburg Community Garden soon will add a heavy metal touch to its ecosystem. Shaler artist Oreen Cohen has spent the better part of the past few months working on a pollinator-themed scrap metal sculpture for the garden next to the Sharpsburg Community Library along Main Street. Cohen, a Carnegie Mellon...
Allegheny Valley School Board moves forward on budget without tax hike
The Allegheny Valley School Board approved its proposed budget Monday, meaning local homeowners likely won’t see any changes to their tax bill next year. The budget would maintain the district’s current rate of 21.7049 mills. That means a taxpayer who owns property with the median assessed value of $85,900 would...
