Valley News Dispatch category, Page 244

It isn’t every day a public school building turns 100. So, when Leechburg Area High School reached that milestone on Thursday, a celebration was in order. “This is such a contribution to the town for investing resources into our school district for 100 years, which we very much appreciate. To...

Charges were dismissed Thursday against two men involved in brawl outside a firefighters club in Arnold after they decided not to testify against each other. One of the men, Albert Colelli Jr., 51, of Arnold, faced a felony count of aggravated assault along with simple assault and disorderly conduct in...

The May 16 primary election results are in for Fox Chapel area’s municipal and school board races, with 100% of precincts reporting, according to Allegheny County’s unofficial election results. But some results could be upended once write-in votes are counted, which had not yet been done when this edition went...

Riverview School District is proposing a 2% real estate tax increase as part of its $25.9 million general fund budget for the 2023-24 school year. School board members cited uncertainty in state and federal funding and rising costs as reasons for the increase, which would raise the tax rate for...

Oakmont Council welcomed a familiar face back to its ranks to fill a vacancy. Patricia Friday was sworn in by Mayor Sophia Facaros on May 15. Friday was appointed by a narrow margin at a special meeting May 8 to fill the seat vacated by Lindsay Osterhout, council president. Osterhout...

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. Touch-a-truck planned in Indiana Township Indiana Township will host a free...

Cheswick officials are partnering with a Pittsburgh-based notifications app in an effort to communicate better with residents. Savvy Citizen, developed and maintained by Management Science Associates, is a notification system built for local governments to send information such as alerts, notifications and events directly to subscribing residents. The company was...

The Allegheny Valley School District joined a growing list of school districts nationwide pursuing legal action against social media companies. The district’s school board voted this week to join a civil, multijurisdictional lawsuit against social media companies including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube in an effort to hold those companies accountable...

A wet weekend could not dampen the spirits of Fox Chapel Area residents and first responders who participated in the school district’s annual Community Safety Event. Children received new bicycle helmets, toy prizes, food and much more during the event in the Aspinwall Municipal Parking Lot along Commercial Avenue on...

A newcomer has emerged victorious in his Republican primary race for Allegheny Township supervisor against a longtime incumbent. With 100% of precincts reporting, Jeff Pollick, 52, had 56.68% of the vote on the Republican ballot, compared to John Rennick “Ren” Steele’s 40.06%, according to unofficial results from the Westmoreland County...

The Tarentum Council race was seemingly decided Tuesday, save for the at-large position which pits Democratic incumbent Scott Dadowski against newcomer Maggie Smith, a Republican. Either way, both of them appear to have earned a seat on council after winning their individual uncontested ward contests, according to unofficial results from...

The race for Harrison commissioner in the 3rd Ward appears to have come down to the slimmest of margins. Incumbent Eric Bengel eked out a victory for the Democratic nomination over opponent Gary Hines, according to unofficial results from the Allegheny County Elections Department. Bengel earned 213 votes to Hines’...

The Kiski Township supervisor candidate at the center of a social media controversy appears to have cruised to victory and ousted three incumbents along the way. The operative phrase, though, is “appears” to have done so. Brittany Hilliard, 29, earned the most votes of four Republican candidates seeking two available...

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. Spring bird hike planned in Harrison Hills Park Friends of Harrison...

Work to upgrade a natural gas facility along Coxcomb Hill Road in Plum is expected to be finished by early summer, according to a spokesperson for its owner. The facility is a metering and regulation station, which “takes interstate pipeline pressure and regulates it down to distribution line pressure so...

Fox Chapel public works officials plan to move into a new office building by winter if all goes well with a recently approved construction project. Council unanimously awarded four contracts on May 15 related to an estimated 4,000-square-foot facility to be built behind the borough building and near the public...

Tuesday’s primary cleared up a crowded field for Plum School Board, narrowing a field of 14 down to 10 — five from each party, to vie for five seats in November. Although all 14 candidates were cross-filed, none of the candidates advanced on both ballots, according to unofficial election results....

Two incumbent New Kensington councilmen survived a challenge in Tuesday’s Democratic primary to keep their seats, according to unofficial election results. With 100% of precincts reporting, Councilman Tim DiMaio claimed the most votes, 709, or about 38% of the 1,886 votes cast. By 43 votes, Councilman Dante Cicconi edged out...

Indiana Township incumbent Darrin Krally was able to fend off challenger Brandice Miller for the Republican nod for District 3 supervisor, according to complete but unofficial returns from the Allegheny County Elections Division. All results were with 100% of precincts reporting May 16. Krally earned 87 votes to Miller’s 68...

The first time Highlands senior Elijah Majocha was legally able to vote, he cast a ballot for himself. The 18-year-old was among a field of 11 people vying for five positions in three school board regions — and he appears to have come away with a nomination on both tickets....

Shannon Santucci, winner of Tuesday’s Democratic primary for mayor of Arnold, says she will change the leadership of the city’s police department should she continue through to claim the office following the general election in November. Santucci led a slate with council candidates Phil McKinley, an incumbent, and newcomer Aaron...

A newcomer seeking a seat on the Allegheny Township Board of Supervisors defeated a longtime incumbent for the Republican nomination, according to unofficial results from the Westmoreland County Board of Elections. With 100% of the vote in Tuesday, Jeff Pollick, 52, had 56.68% of the vote on the Republican ballot,...

For the Lower Valley district judge race in November, Mitchell Karaica secured the Democratic nomination, and Michael Girardi received the Republican nomination. Girardi, 37, of Cheswick and Karaica, 50, of Springdale were both cross-filed for the seat currently held by David Sosovicka. Sosovicka is not seeking reelection. With 100% of...

The primary contest between District Judge Cheryl Peck Yakopec and challenger Leslie Uncapher Zellers appeared to be moving on to the November general election. With 100% of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Peck Yakopec was leading for the Democratic nomination, with 60% of the vote, according to unofficial results. Zellers claimed...

Seven people — including five incumbents — sought ballot spots for five seats on the Allegheny Valley School Board. One incumbent, Colleen Crumb, lost. With 100% of the Democratic vote in, Amy Sarno led with 18.10% of the vote, Paula Jean Moretti had 17.47%, Nicole Paulovich had 15.84%, Glenna Renaldi...