Valley News Dispatch category, Page 129
Skimming device at Golden Dawn is only one found recently in New Kensington, police say
A skimming device found at a New Kensington grocery store this week is the only one the city’s police are aware of, a detective said Friday. Golden Dawn owners Gene Tommasi and Jim Faccenda said Thursday a skimming device was found Wednesday attached to the pinpad in one of their...
Fox Chapel residents put on alert after burglary of home
Fox Chapel police are urging residents to be vigilant after a home was burglarized this week. A house on South Drive was burglarized around 8 p.m. Wednesday, police Chief Michael Stevens said Friday. According to a notice to residents, two burglars forced their way into an unoccupied home. Stevens deferred...
Program gives local high school students a shot at landing a job before graduation
Seniors at three local high schools could have a full-time job lined up before they walk the graduation stage. Burrell, Valley and Kiski Area high schools this year are collaborating with PNC for its PartnerUp program, an initiative where educators join forces with employers from various industries to teach students...
Lower Burrell police, school district team up to help children who suffer traumatic experiences
A new, more formal program between Lower Burrell police and the Burrell School District aims to support a child after they have experienced a traumatic incident. The district and police are working with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Trauma Education and Response (TEAR) program for the initiative, called “Handle With Care.”...
Construction to begin for 1-mile Leechburg bike trail
Leechburg residents will see some construction in the coming weeks as the Leechburg Area Community Development Corp. kicks off its Tow Path Trail project, which has the potential to give Leechburg access to almost 600 miles of trail. The milelong trail will connect Leechburg to the existing 4 miles of...
Arnold’s city manager says financial shortfall has been cut by more than half, but still remains
Arnold City Manager Mario Bellavia told council this week that the city is slowly but steadily climbing out of a budget hole. Bellavia said the city was looking at a major financial shortfall after the previous administration erred in creating this year’s budget. The budget overestimated the city’s 2024 revenue...
Party to help generate ideas for use of vacant New Kensington lot
Blighted buildings, poor lighting at night and a history of crime make an area of New Kensington near Valley Points Family YMCA unpleasant to visit. Unkempt sidewalks, problems with traffic and unclear crosswalks make walking there challenging, a survey of residents conducted this summer found. And yet, residents say they...
The Stroller, Sept. 13, 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. Sonward Youth program looking...
Coming this fall: Penn State plans to regionalize or share more operations across its branch campuses
Penn State University intends to regionalize or share additional operations across its branch campuses this fall, including services such as advising and student affairs. Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi and top aides outlined the move Thursday during an update on efforts to ease financial pressures — some caused by sharp...
Trial begins for Tarentum man charged with sexually assaulting child
A trial for a Tarentum man charged with sexually assaulting a 6-year-old opened this week in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court, where the alleged victim took the stand Thursday. Brian Jefferies, 27, is charged with aggravated indecent assault of a child, unlawful contact, endangering the welfare of children, indecent exposure,...
Skimming device found in checkout lane at New Kensington Golden Dawn
A skimming device was found in a checkout lane at the Golden Dawn grocery store in New Kensington on Wednesday, the store’s owners confirmed Thursday. The store has five checkout lanes. The skimmer was found on register 2, co-owner Gene Tommasi said. They believe the device — which can capture...
Deer Lakes primary school named among ‘America’s Healthiest’
It’s not uncommon to see students at Curtisville Primary School dancing and stretching during class. The youngest students in the Deer Lakes School District have movement breaks, when they are encouraged to shake off “the blahs” and reenergize themselves to learn. Elsewhere in the school on Saxonburg Boulevard, tower gardens...
Freeport passes short-term rental regulations, but parking concerns remain
If and when Airbnb-type rentals start popping up in Freeport, borough officials say they will be ready. Council unanimously approved an ordinance governing short-term rentals offered by businesses such as Airbnb. The ordinance defines short-term rentals as a dwelling unit or part of one, that is available to rent for...
Allegheny Valley eyes contract for demolition of Colfax
After years of discussion and deliberations, the end for Colfax Elementary in Springdale may be near. The Allegheny Valley School Board on Tuesday will consider hiring Kane Specialty Group of Pine to perform asbestos abatement and demolition of the shuttered building along Colfax Street. Kane submitted a $404,000 base bid...
The Stroller, Sept. 12, 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. Fundraiser concert planned Saturday...
O’Hara police officers recognized for their response to fatal Blawnox shooting
A pair of O’Hara police officers were honored for their heroism and professionalism during a shooting incident in Blawnox. Township police Superintendent Jay Davis and Blawnox police Chief Patrick Goodman presented medals of bravery to Craig Cress and Maria Sciacca on Sept. 10. They, along with Blawnox Patrolman Aaron Zolla,...
O’Hara, Blawnox councils formally approve police merger set to start in January
O’Hara and Blawnox officials have finalized an agreement that will have both communities patrolled by O’Hara police starting next year. The Blawnox police force will be absorbed in January by O’Hara and under the leadership of township police Superintendent Jay Davis. O’Hara Council passed its ordinance Sept. 10, and Blawnox...
‘The places we will go’: Team Friends celebrates growth as new chapters emerge in Armstrong, Indiana counties
Fans of Dr. Seuss may hold a special place in their hearts for his final book published during author Theodor Seuss Geisel’s lifetime, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” Count the founder of a flourishing regional nonprofit among them. “What a fitting title for tonight, as Team Friends celebrates the places...
Heroism, unity theme of Lower Burrell 9/11 service
When people gather to remember the lives lost during the terrorist attacks of 9/11, one of the most commonly asked questions is whether others remember where they were when they heard the news. But the more appropriate question, said Lower Burrell No. 3 Fire Chief Brennan Sites, is if people...
Plum municipal authority will color code fire hydrants to delineate flow rates
Firefighters in Plum soon will know how much water a hydrant can provide just by looking at it. At the request of the borough and its volunteer fire departments, the Plum Borough Municipal Authority will color code the roughly 600 fire hydrants in the borough. That work is tentatively expected...
Acmetonia students honor Patriot Day with service
Mila Bock wants her school to have a Patriot Day observance every year from now on. “It’s important to honor people that died during the tragedy,” said the sixth grader at Acmetonia Elementary School in Harmar. The school held its first Patriot Day event Wednesday, the 23th anniversary of 9/11,...
Plum School District gets $1.9M grant, eyes borrowing for work at 2 schools
As grant money comes in to help offset some of the cost, the Plum School Board will vote this month to authorize borrowing nearly $10 million toward an anticipated $30 million building project. If approved by the board at its Sept. 24 meeting, the district’s financial advisors would have the...
Big Lots enters court-supervised sale process, plans more closures
Big Lots shoppers are hoping their local stores will be spared from closure as the closeout retailer navigates its way through bankruptcy. “I was just looking for a chair,” said Hempfield resident Bev Lauffer while she perused the Big Lots there this week, adding she shops at Big Lots on...
Lower Burrell signs contract to fix ‘greener than grass’ algae problem at lake
Lower Burrell is moving forward to remediate the algae situation in Burrell Lake Park. City Council on Monday approved a contract of nearly $5,900 with Solitude Lake Management for water quality restoration at Burrell Lake this fall. “We had to get started to take care of the lake,” Councilman Mike...
Road work on tap, fire station roofs to be replaced in New Kensington
State and federal grants are paying for more improvements in New Kensington. New Kensington City Council on Monday awarded a contract of just under $96,900 to Derry Construction to resurface Fifth Avenue between Seventh and 11th streets. The company had submitted the lowest of seven bids, city engineer Tony Males...
