Valley News Dispatch category, Page 265
Westmoreland human services director has personal stake in crisis intervention program
Rob Hamilton was a troubled young man. He struggled with homelessness and drug abuse during his formative years and, upon returning home from military service, couldn’t stay out of trouble. It wasn’t until he reunited with then-Blairsville police Officer Robert “B.J.” Shaw that Hamilton’s life changed. Shaw, rather than shuffling...
Vocational prowess earns spot in national skills championship for recent Kiski Area grad
Jack Skroupa has a knack for working with his hands that has his career heating up just one week after graduation from Kiski Area School District. Skroupa studied heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) at Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center and already landed an apprenticeship because of his skills....
Prosecutor accuses Harrison contractor of taking $50K for new kitchen cabinets and not doing the job
A remodeling contractor from Harrison is accused of taking more than $50,000 up front from a woman for new kitchen cabinets that he never installed. A detective with the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office accused Dylan Seelnacht, 30, of the 300 block of Primrose Lane with two felony theft counts...
Upper Burrell supervisors to fix Lower Drennen Road stormwater runoff issue
The Upper Burrell supervisors continue their work to make improvements on Lower Drennen Road. At its meeting Wednesday, the board authorized its engineer, Michael Moore of Bankson Engineers, to prepare the specifications for the stormwater runoff issue on Lower Drennen, as well as other prep work using the township’s federal...
The Stroller, June 10, 2023: 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. Golf outing to benefit Five Forces veterans charity A golf outing...
Former ATI property on the market in Leechburg
Leechburg officials are hopeful a newly available riverfront property will entice a buyer or developer looking to invest in a scenic location. A 2.83-acre property along the Kiski River, previously used by ATI’s idled plants in Bagdad and West Leechburg, went on the market May 8 for $1.39 million by...
After yearslong court battle, construction for electronic billboard in Tarentum begins
Construction of an electronic billboard near the Tarentum Bridge has begun, after a yearslong battle in court and before borough officials. America First Enterprises, doing business as Oliver Outdoor, sought to place the electronic billboard at the Tarentum end of the bridge, at 107 E. Fourth Ave. A representative for...
New Kensington man guilty of child sex assault
A New Kensington man has been convicted of the sexual assault of a 9-year-old girl. A Westmoreland County jury deliberated more than five hours on Thursday before returning guilty verdicts against Chester Elmer Green Jr., who prosecutors contended had improper sexual contact with a young girl in 2013 and 2014....
Alle-Kiski High School Class Reunions
• Ken Hi Class of 1959 will have a reunion from 4 to 10 p.m. Aug. 17 at Hill Crest Country Club, Lower Burrell. Reservations required by July 25. Details: Keith and Bev at 724-594-0108 or Mic and Patti at 724-335-2914. • Freeport Area High School Class of 1961 will...
Kiski Area alum killed in crash remembered for kindness, work ethic
Family and friends are mourning the sudden death of a standout student hockey player from Washington Township. Alex Presley Orange, a 2020 Kiski Area High School graduate and PennWest University California student, died Sunday from injuries sustained in a car crash. He was 21. His parents, Todd Orange and Leesa...
Gazebo on Corbet Street in Tarentum potential focal point of business district
Tarentum’s business corridor is expected to gain a focal point in the form of a gazebo later this year. If approved, the 24-by-24-foot open-stage gazebo would be built at 215 Corbet St., where a three-story building was demolished earlier this year. Council is scheduled to vote on the project during...
Vandergrift man accused of using gun to threaten neighbors he didn’t like
Vandergrift police accused a man of threatening his neighbor with a gun after police found the man outside his home leaning against a pole with a pistol tucked into his waistband. Jeffery M. Rutledge, 68, of the 800 block of Holland Street was charged with a felony count of aggravated...
The Stroller, June 9, 2023: 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. Summer lunch program offered in Leechburg Leechburg Area School District will...
PennDOT announces virtual plans display for Salina Bridge project
The fire departments in Kiski and Bell townships are looking forward to PennDOT’s replacement of the historic Salina Bridge. Bell Township Fire Company Chief Steven Master said the inability to use the current bridge adds 10 to 15 minutes to their route into the neighboring town during emergencies. The new...
Air quality alert issued for region
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has declared a Code Orange Action Day for air quality on Friday in Western Pennsylvania because of smoke from wildfires in Canada. The orange alert indicates unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive groups of people. Young children, the elderly and those with respiratory problems such...
Arnold police officer cleared of final charge related to allegation of unlawfully killing deer
An Arnold police officer has been cleared of all charges related to an allegation that he unlawfully killed an antlered deer. Brackenridge District Judge Carolyn S. Bengel dismissed the third and final charge against Jacob A. Pollick, 30, of Murrysville after a hearing Wednesday, according to court records. The Pennsylvania...
Arnold man accused of threatening to cut man’s head off with hedge clippers, wielding pistol
Arnold police accused a man of threatening to cut another man’s head off with hedge clippers before pulling a gun on him and his daughter after they had asked him to stop taking video of them with a cellphone. Vincent G. Mazziotti, 30, of the 1800 block of Freeport Road...
State Rep. Mandy Steele seeks answers to lingering questions from implosion of smokestacks in Springdale
The fallout from the former Cheswick Generating Station’s smokestack implosion last week has caught the attention of at least one state lawmaker. In a statement issued Tuesday, state Rep. Mandy Steele, D-Fox Chapel, acknowledged the two Springdale smokestacks — about 750 and 550 feet tall — fell June 2 where...
Relay for Life of Riverview in Oakmont races past fundraising goal
This year’s Relay for Life of Riverview in Oakmont ran past its fundraising goal, and donations are still being counted. The annual event to raise awareness and funds for the American Cancer Society took place at Riverside Park May 20. There were at least a dozen teams at the event,...
Wildlife officers free deer of plastic feeder stuck around neck in O’Hara
A whitetail deer, seen for weeks by Fox Chapel area residents sporting a large, white, plastic feeder around its neck, was freed Thursday morning, thanks to the persistent efforts of Pennsylvania Game Commission officials. Commission officials spotted the deer early Thursday in the Orchard Hill/Driftwood area of O’Hara and were...
New Kensington-Arnold School Board approves 1.6% property tax increase
Property owners in New Kensington and Arnold will see a 1.6% increase in their school district property tax bills. The New Kensington-Arnold School Board approved the district’s $50.42 million budget for the 2023-24 school year Tuesday, along with the tax increase. The property tax rate was increased by 1.5 mills,...
The Stroller, June 8, 2023: 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. Kiski Area Foundation to host golf outing fundraiser The 15th annual...
Penn State New Kensington supports proposal for student housing in downtown New Ken
A New Kensington business owner wants to build housing for college students and others on Fifth Avenue. Jake Lydick, owner of Eye-bot Aerial Solutions and Patriot Technology Holdings, has a plan to build residential units in existing buildings at 713, 715 and 717 Fifth Ave. The addresses are among nine...
Allegheny Valley School District’s proposed budget holds line on taxes
Property owners in the Allegheny Valley School District can expect no increase in their property taxes. The district is eyeing a budget of $24.6 million for next school year, which is an increase of 3.5% compared to the school year that just ended. The district’s school board approved the preliminary...
Claims for properties impacted by Springdale implosion due Friday
Springdale-area residents impacted by the smokestack implosion last week at the former Cheswick Generating Station have until 5 p.m. Friday to submit claims and concerns to the property owner. Sam Miller of Louisville, Ky.-based Charah Solutions said crews are continuing to address the aftermath of the implosion, where two smokestack...
